08:37 AM EDT, 08/14/2024 (MT Newswires) -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it has closed a preliminary evaluation of about 1.8 million Toyota Motor ( TM ) RAV4 2013-2018 vehicles over fires that start in the battery region of the engine compartment.

The investigation, which focused on the contributing factors and frequency of vehicle fires, found that the fires occurred in vehicles equipped with an aftermarket battery or an original battery that had exceeded its expected lifespan, according to the NHTSA.

In November 2023, Toyota ( TM ) filed a safety recall for 1,853,568 RAV4 vehicles "to reduce the risk of a vehicle fire with redesigned battery retention components" following discussions with the Office of Defects Investigation, the NHTSA said.

The regulator said it closed the preliminary evaluation Monday.

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