The Recall Desk
Our severity:HighNHTSA·13V337000·Announced 2013-08-07

Toyota Recalls Tacoma Access Cab Vehicles for Seat Belt Pre-Tensioner Defect

Toyota is recalling 2005-2011 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles because seat belt pre-tensioner screws may loosen, increasing injury risk in crashes.

What this means for you

Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 3/5 (High).

Real risk of harm even if no illness or injury has been reported yet. Stop using the product and follow the agency's guidance.

Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a safety-critical component (seat belt pre-tensioner) that may fail to function in a crash, increasing injury risk, but no specific injuries or fatalities are reported in the source text.

Plain-English summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured between September 14, 2004, and March 29, 2010, as well as model year 2011 Tacoma Access Cab vehicles manufactured between July 1, 2010, and September 7, 2011. The recall involves approximately 342,451 vehicles.

The defect involves the seat belt pre-tensioner assembly. If the access doors are repeatedly and forcefully closed, the screws attaching the seat belt pre-tensioner to the seat belt retractor can loosen over time. If these screws loosen completely, the pre-tensioner and the retractor spring cover could detach from the seat belt retractor. This failure would prevent the seat belt pre-tensioner from performing as designed, increasing the risk of injury in a severe crash.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat belt assemblies. Based on the inspection, the seat belt assembly will be replaced, or new pre-tensioner screws will be installed with thread-locking sealant and a retractor spring cover with stopper ribs to prevent loosening. These services will be provided at no cost to the owner. The recall began in February 2014. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
TOYOTA TACOMA
Brand
TOYOTA
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Category
Vehicle — Pickup Truck
Hazard
Affected units
342,451

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Model numbers (1)

  • TACOMA

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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