The problem
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 The belts convert to the alr mode after the webbing has been fully withdrawn from the retractor.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.
Recall details
| NHTSA campaign | 08V-181 (08V181000) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer number | 80D |
| Manufacturer | Toyota Motor Corporation |
| Component | Seat belts › Rear/other |
| Report date | April 18, 2008 |
| Owners notified | December 10, 2008 |
| Vehicles affected | 90,189 |
| Initiated by | OVSC |
Vehicles covered
Owner complaints about the seat belts
Frequently asked questions
Is the recall 08V-181 repair free?
Yes. Toyota dealers will fix the problem at no cost: 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.
How do I know if my car is included?
Not every vehicle of the listed model years is affected — the recall covers 90,189 vehicles built in a certain window. Check your 17-character VIN with our VIN recall check or at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.