Federal safety officials have forced Toyota Motor Corp. to modify a recall of 157,000 Tundra pickups over a violation of child safety standards, after officials told the automaker that its original plan to remove manual air bag shutoff switches was insufficient.
While the problem has not been linked to any injuries or consumer complaints, the National Highway Traffic Safety Agency contended it was important to uphold the law on child restraints. In a letter to Toyota Monday, NHTSA's head of vehicle safety said Toyota's new plan would satisfy the agency.
The dispute concerns a federal rule that went into effect in 2002 requiring vehicles with air bag shutoff switches to include special latches in the front passenger seat for child safety seats. Those latches were designed after research showed many drivers were installing child seats improperly, making them less useful in accidents.
The 4-door Tundra Access Cab pickups built between 2003 and 2005 included air bag shutoff switches for the passenger seat and child-seat latches in the rear seats, but not at the front passenger seat. After informing NHTSA of the problem in July 2005, Toyota asked for an exemption from the rule, saying the problem posed no safety threat and owners could still use seat belts to install child seats in the front passenger space.
After NHTSA declined Toyota's request late last year, the automaker said in June that it would issue a recall to remove the air bag switch and give owners a new warning label and manual. Toyota said installing new child-seat latches was an extensive engineering problem, but NHTSA told the company that simply removing the switches could confuse owners.
Late last month, Toyota told NHTSA it would halt its old recall plan. Under the new plan, Toyota will send a letter to all affected Tundra owners with a label outlining the problems with the Tundra's child latches and air bag switch, and recommending that owners always use the rear seats for children.
If owners want the front latches installed, they can request it from Toyota, which will provide them for free once it figures out how to retrofit the latches into the truck.
“Once we do have our ducks in a row where we have everything in line and ready, we will be sending out letters to the owners,” said Toyota spokesman Sam Butto.
