NHTSA Campaign 08V181000
SEAT BELTS:REAR/OTHER
NHTSA campaign 08V181000 covers 2 year-make-model versions listed here and concerns the seat belts: rear/other. The repair is free.
TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC filed the report for 08V181000 with NHTSA on April 18, 2008; NHTSA's Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance influenced the recall.
For 08V181000, NHTSA lists up to 90,189 potentially affected vehicles, built between May 31, 2007 and March 7, 2008.
The 08V181000 report reached NHTSA 1 month after the last affected vehicle was built.
Owner notification letters for 08V181000 were scheduled from December 10, 2008, 236 days after the report.
08V181000 covers 2 models from Toyota, model years 2008.
By potentially affected vehicles, 08V181000 ranks 33 of 83 TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC recalls on this site.
Besides 08V181000, TOYOTA MOTOR NORTH AMERICA, INC has 5 other recalls on the seat belts on this site; the one before 08V181000 was 06V023000, reported on January 27, 2006.
What this recall covers
- The defect
- TOYOTA IS RECALLING 90,189 MY 2008 HIGHLANDER AND HIGHLANDER HYBRID PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH A THIRD ROW SEAT. THESE VEHICLES FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE NON-DRIVER DESIGNATED SEATING POSITIONS (DSP) ON THESE VEHICLES IS EQUIPPED WITH SEAT BELT ASSEMBLIES THAT HAVE A FEATURE THAT CONVERTS THE RETRACTOR FROM AN EMERGENCY LOCKING RETRACTOR (ELR) TO AN AUTOMATIC LOCKING RETRACTOR (ALR). THE BELTS CONVERT TO THE ALR MODE AFTER THE WEBBING HAS BEEN FULLY WITHDRAWN FROM THE RETRACTOR. THE SYSTEM IS DESIGNED SO THAT AS THE BELT IS RELEASED INTO THE RETRACTOR, THE SYSTEM REMAINS IN THE ALR MODE SO THAT A CHILD RESTRAINT SYSTEM (CRS) CAN BE TIGHTLY SECURED.
- The risk
- HOWEVER, FOR THE TWO THIRD ROW DSP'S ON THESE VEHICLES, THE ALR MODE DEACTIVATES BEFORE THE WEBBING IS FULLY RETRACTED, SO THAT IT WILL NOT LOCK WHEN CERTAIN REAR-FACING CRS'S THAT HAVE A SHORT SEAT BELT ROUTING PATH ARE INSTALLED IN THE VEHICLE. THIS CAN ALLOW THE SEAT BELT WEBBING TO SPOOL OUT DURING NORMAL DRIVING MANEUVERS, WHICH COULD AFFECT THE STABILITY OF A CHILD RESTRAINT INSTALLED AT THOSE SEATING POSITIONS. AS SUCH, THIS COULD DISCOURAGE THE USE OF A CHILD RESTRAINT AND IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE CHILD MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY PROTECTED POSSIBLY RESULTING IN INJURY.
- The fix
- DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEWLY DESIGNED SEAT BELT COMPONENT FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR ABOUT DECEMBER 18, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT TOYOTA AT 1-800-331-4331.
- Notes
- TOYOTA RECALL NO. 80D.
Reported April 18, 2008
Vehicles covered by 08V181000 (2)
Being on this list means your year, make and model fall inside campaign 08V181000, not that your own vehicle does: a campaign covers a range of VINs. A VIN check on NHTSA's lookup shows whether it is.
Newest record on this page: April 18, 2008. Data: NHTSA recall and owner-complaint files. How these figures are counted