- Toyota is recalling 308,000 2007-'08 RAV4s, Highlanders and Highlander Hybrids.
- At issue is a faulty roll-angle sensor for the side curtain airbag system.
- Toyota said it has received "some reports of minor injuries" linked to this recall.
TORRANCE, California — Toyota is recalling 213,825 2007-'08 Toyota RAV4s and 94,023 2008 Toyota Highlander and Highlander Hybrid models in the U.S. because the side curtain airbags and seatbelt pretensioner could be inadvertently activated, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
"Inadvertent activation of the curtain shield airbag and/or seatbelt pretensioner can cause injury to a vehicle occupant," said NHTSA in its recall summary of the problem.
In other documentation filed with the federal government, Toyota said it had received "some reports of minor injuries" linked to the recall.
"In March 2011, Toyota received information indicating that a (curtain shield airbag) deployed inadvertently and that a driver had an injury in this incident," said Toyota in the documentation that explains the reason for initiating the recall. "It appears that the customer may have been cut in the palm by the seatbelt webbing when it retracted with high-speed movement in conjunction with activation of the seatbelt pretensioner."
Last Thursday, Toyota issued a statement about the recall in advance of the NHTSA posting.
"In the roll-sensing curtain shield airbag system of the subject vehicles, there are two sensors in the airbag sensor assembly which are designed to detect vehicle roll angle," the statement reads.
"If one of these sensors malfunctions, the airbag warning light (malfunction indicator light) will illuminate and the roll detection system will be suspended; however, the airbag remains available in the event of a side collision. If both sensors fail nearly simultaneously after initial airbag system check, the seatbelt pretensioner and the curtain shield airbag could be inadvertently activated."
Toyota dealers will replace the roll sensor assembly. The recall is expected to begin in mid-May. Toyota said no other Lexus or Toyota vehicles are involved in the recall.
Owners can contact Toyota at (800) 331-4331 or visit www.toyota.com/recall.
Inside Line says: If you own one of the aforementioned Toyotas, be aware that a recall is in the works. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
Add A Comment »
placido08 says:
01:10 AM, 05/11/2011
hate it
copmotor440cid says:
03:25 PM, 04/26/2011
To quote a fellow poster from said Tundra article:
stovt001 says:
11:23 AM, 04/26/11
I think even beyond an increase in the amount of recalls, there has been an increase in the media coverage of recalls, especially Toyota recalls. I worked at a Toyota dealership in 2006 and there were more "warranty enhancements" - what Toyota called recalls at the time - than I can remember. A few that stick out were electronic calibration issues with the Prius, seatbelts in the Sienna that would detach in an accident, side airbags in the Scion tC that would go off when the door was shut, freezing transmissions in the Camry, and failgates on the Tundra (thank you Edmunds for coining that term, even if it was for the Grand Caravan). I don't believe any of those were reported on in the media.
rocketman307 says:
10:25 AM, 04/26/2011
This is an older article, but in the 12 months prior to November 1, 2010, Toyota recalled over 14 million vehicles and over 25 million since January of 2005.
http://www.cheersandgears.com/topic/71172-recalling-toyotas-recalls-over-14-million-vehicles-recalled-in-the-past-12-months/
Just because they spread the recalls out over numerous announcements doesn't mean they don't have a large number of recalls. Sure Ford had a recall that included 1.5 million vehicles, but that still pales in comparison to Toyota's overall numbers.
dgmail says:
03:58 AM, 04/26/2011
Listen we have all learned that akula1 has a lot of time on his hands now. You see he is a Toyota salesman with nothing to do anymore.
Every comment he makes, Import=Good, American=Bad, is based on the last new American brand car he bought. His 1972 Pinto.
My advice for him is to stop using the "consumer reports" data he looks at everyday and kneels down to (Everybody knows its slanted twords imports), and get a job in the back end of that Recall Motors Toyota dealership. Thats were all the money is going to be made...
FIXING JUNK TOYOTA'S
You've been EXPOSED AKULA1!!!!!
copmotor440cid says:
12:31 AM, 04/26/2011
Yes akula, what doesn't kill Toyota will only make it stronger by killing it's stupid American customers.
enjoy_the_ride says:
11:47 PM, 04/25/2011
Maybe if Toyota can get another million trucks and SUVs recalled they can match Ford's 1.3 million recalled F-150s: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41733165/ns/business-autos/
akula1 says:
06:56 PM, 04/25/2011
It's ok, it'll only make Toyota stronger as it returns to Family control. They'll fix what went wrong and plan for the long view again. Ford's doing it and Toyota will to for sure. Unlike others that don't learn from their mistakes and keep asking for help. 0.o
darda71 says:
03:59 PM, 04/25/2011
wow..lets run to the Toyota dealers and buy another one.
a1c_scg says:
03:19 PM, 04/25/2011
Toyotas being recalled?? What a surprise.