Toyota recalls 1.9 million RAV4s to fix shifting batteries that cause a fire

Toyota said Wednesday it is recalling nearly 1.9 million RAV4 small SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem with batteries that can move during forceful turns and potentially cause a fire.

The recall covers certain RAV4s from the 2013 through 2018 model years. Toyota said in a statement that some replacement 12-volt batteries used in the SUVs have smaller top dimensions than others. If the hold-down clamp is not tightened properly, the battery could move, allowing the positive terminal to contact the clamp and short circuit, the company said.

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Toyota said it is still preparing a fix. When the remedy is ready, dealers will replace the hold-down clamp, battery tray and positive terminal cover with improved ones. The company said it will notify owners by late December.

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Toyota declined to say if the problem had caused any fires, crashes or injuries.

Owners can check to see if their RAV4s are involved by going to nhtsa.gov/recalls and entering their vehicle identification number.

The RAV4 recall announced Wednesday was the second one announced by Toyota in a week. On Oct. 26, the company recalled 814,000 Highlander sport utility vehicles because the front bumper could fall off.