Gulf States Toyota recalls more than 33,000 vehicles for incorrect sticker

Recalls are a fact of life in the auto industry, though some actions seem sillier than others, at least on paper. Toyota is recalling more than 33,000 vehicles for a sticker that shows the incorrect weight capacity limits. That’s not a big deal for cars like my 2024 Toyota GR Corolla Premium, which somehow has no cargo space, but for truck and large SUV owners, it could be a problem.

The recall, which includes 33,848 vehicles, comes from Gulf States Toyota (GST), one of the automaker’s largest U.S. distributors of vehicles and accessories. It impacts vehicles with GST accessories, including:

Though based in Texas, the dealer group operates across the South, with more than 150 stores across five states. A June inspection found that vehicles sold by the group carried weight limit stickers that didn’t align with installed accessories, such as rooftop tents and off-road parts. The improper labels came from a programming error in GST’s printing system, leading many vehicles to receive a weight limit that didn’t account for dealer-installed accessories.

The weight stickers’ problems originate from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Federal Vehicle Safety Standards (FVSS). Standard 110 limits a vehicle’s weight capacity based on the tires it uses. It states that the vehicle’s “maximum load on the tire is not to be greater than the applicable maximum load rating as marked on the sidewall of the tire.”

People who bought one of the affected models from outside the dealer group don’t have to worry. Those who did will receive a label in the mail, which can be placed over the incorrect labels.