Recall 01E041000: Trailer Wire Harness Converter Defect

Equipment Description: Trailer towing wire harness converters which integrates the vehicle's tail lights, brake lights, and turn signal lights with those equipped on the trailer. Manufactured between May 1, 1999, and August 31, 2000, these converters were sold for installation on 1999-2000 Toyota Tundra and Tacoma vehicles. Affected part numbers are: PT207-34000, PT207-34002, PT207-04981, and PT214-04985. In the Tundra vehicles, the circuitry utilized in the converter was inadequate to properly manage vehicle and/or trailer-side voltage spikes. If the converter is exposed to a voltage spike, it may cause an electrical short or open circuit within the converter.

Tacoma vehicles, due to deficient waterproofing and improper installation location of the converter, which is mounted in the lower portion of the tailgate cavity of the vehicle, an electrical short circuit will occur if water enters the converter housing.

An electrical short or open circuit can cause a fault in the converter and a non-operational condition of the trailer lights. A vehicle crash can occur, possibly resulting in personal injury or death, if the vehicle is driven without operational trailer lights.

Dealers will notify the customers and install a redesigned trailer towing wire harness converter free of charge. Owner notification is expect to begin August 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331. Also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).