On the similar time, round 154,000 Grand Highlander and TX fashions within the arms of consumers have to be repaired
9 hours in the past
- Engineers labored with suppliers to change the anchoring methods of the side-curtain airbags.
- Previous to a stop-sale being issued, the Grand Highlander and TX had been promoting effectively within the US.
- In August, Toyota had to purchase again 11 Grand Highlanders and TX fashions.
Toyota has developed a repair for the Grand Highlander and Lexus TX that may enable it to finish a stop-sale after the pair of SUVs failed an NHTSA audit in Could due to faulty side-curtain protect airbags.
An investigation from the nationwide security company revealed that the facet curtain airbag of the Grand Highlander and TX failed to remain totally contained in the cabin if deployed with the motive force’s facet window rolled down. It discovered that one of many corners of the airbag may very well be pushed exterior. It didn’t take lengthy earlier than Toyota’s engineers had been capable of re-create the fault and on June 20, the model issued a recall discover and stop-sale to work on a repair.
Learn: Your New Toyota Grand Highlander And Lexus TX Would possibly Shoot Their Airbag Out The Window
Quick ahead to September, and the group vice chairman of Toyota Motor North America’s high quality division, Kent Rice, has confirmed {that a} treatment has been developed. Talking with Auto Information, Rice stated engineers have labored with suppliers to change the anchoring methods of the airbags, bringing them again into compliance with Federal Motor Automobile Security Requirements.
“We make errors, proper? It’s a tough, advanced enterprise,” Rice stated. “However one factor I’m pleased with is, even if this has been painful, that we’ve prospects who’re anxious and sellers who can’t promote autos due to the airbags, there’s by no means been any dialogue or query of price. It’s solely about what do we have to do to get this proper for the shopper. That is our alternative to place our values into motion.”
Roughly 154,000 Toyota Grand Highlander and Lexus TX fashions within the arms of consumers will have to be repaired. An extra 4,000 autos from vendor inventories additionally have to be fastened.
The NHTSA’s audit got here at an inopportune for Toyota because the Grand Highlander and TX had been promoting like gangbusters earlier than the stop-sale was introduced. Toyota was promoting roughly a median of 9,200 Grand Highlanders every month, whereas Lexus was shifting 3,500 TXs every month within the U.S. In August, gross sales of each fashions fell into the negatives, because the carmaker had to purchase again six Grand Highlanders and 5 TXs.