07-12-2006, 07:09 AM
Toyota Tundra Pickups Recalled For Airbag Fix
The Daily Auto Insider
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
July 2006
Toyota will recall nearly 160,000 Tundra pickups to bring them in compliance with U.S. child safety rules, the Detroit News reported.
Toyota will deactivate front-seat passenger airbag cut-off switches in these trucks to avoid having to install a costlier child safety seat anchoring system, the story said, adding that the fix is going to cost the automaker millions of dollars.
The automaker is taking the action after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on June 28 rejected Toyota's petition to waive a federal safety regulation that requires most vehicles built after September 2002 and equipped with the cut-off switch to also have a child seat anchor system known as LATCH â lower anchorages and tethers for children â so that child seats stay in place in a crash, especially in vehicles with smaller rear seating, such as pickups, the story explained.
Deactivating the switch means the airbag will always deploy, making it unsafe to ever put a child in the front seat.
Although Tundras have compliant child safety latches in rear seats they are not present in the front seats.
Owners will get notice of the recall in September, Toyota said.
The Daily Auto Insider
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
July 2006
Toyota will recall nearly 160,000 Tundra pickups to bring them in compliance with U.S. child safety rules, the Detroit News reported.
Toyota will deactivate front-seat passenger airbag cut-off switches in these trucks to avoid having to install a costlier child safety seat anchoring system, the story said, adding that the fix is going to cost the automaker millions of dollars.
The automaker is taking the action after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on June 28 rejected Toyota's petition to waive a federal safety regulation that requires most vehicles built after September 2002 and equipped with the cut-off switch to also have a child seat anchor system known as LATCH â lower anchorages and tethers for children â so that child seats stay in place in a crash, especially in vehicles with smaller rear seating, such as pickups, the story explained.
Deactivating the switch means the airbag will always deploy, making it unsafe to ever put a child in the front seat.
Although Tundras have compliant child safety latches in rear seats they are not present in the front seats.
Owners will get notice of the recall in September, Toyota said.