The transmission is responsible for turning the engine's series of small explosions into forward motion. If the transmission fails, the car isn't going anywhere. That's not exactly expected vehicle behavior, hence Toyota's latest recall.
Toyota has issued a recall for the 2019 Toyota Corolla Hatchback. Approximately 3,400 vehicles are included in this recall, but Toyota did not say if they share similarities like build dates or anything.
The problem comes from the hatchback's continuously variable transmission. There is a chance the torque converter could fail, and if that happens, the vehicle won't be able to accelerate forward. If this happens at higher speeds, it could increase the chance of a collision.
The fix isn't necessarily complicated, but it does require a bit of heavy lifting. In order to remedy the issue, dealership technicians will replace the CVT in its entirety with a new CVT featuring a revised torque converter. Since it's a recall, the work will be completed with no charge to the owner -- that said, it may take a few hours to slap that new CVT in there, so don't expect a lightning-fast swap.
Toyota is currently sourcing the parts for the recall. Owners should receive recall notifications via first-class mail by the middle of February.
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