JUNE 2009 -- Toyota is recalling 1,348 Model Year 2009 and 2010 passenger cars built from June 2, 2008 to May 4, 2009. These vehicles were not equipped with load carrying capacity modification labels which fails to conform with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 110, "Tire Selection and Rims." Incorrect load carrying capacity modification labels could result in the vehicle being overloaded, increasing the risk of a crash. Toyota will notify owners and provide them with a new, accurate label to be installed over the inaccurate label free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during July 2009. 09V-223

JANUARY 2009 -- Toyota is recalling 134,895 MY 2006-2007 Yaris vehicles equipped with driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners, which are designed to be activated in response to a severe frontal impact. When the sensor detects a severe frontal impact, the front seat belts are quickly drawn back by the retractors so that the belts snugly restrain the occupants. The involved vehicles contain a center pillar sound insulator located underneath each front seat belt pretensioner. In the event of seat belt pretensioner deployment, the gas generated may affect the sound insulators. In the worst case, if the sound insulators ignite, this condition will result in a post-collision fire. Dealers will modify the vehicle free of charge. The modification will entail removal of the small urethane center pillar sound insulators (sponge) underneath the driver and front passenger seat belt pretensioners. The recall is expected to begin during February 2009. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-888-270-9371.   09V-031

NEWS:    Toyota recalls 130,000 Yaris cars in US

Yahoo News -- January 28,2009 -- Toyota said Wednesday it will recall almost 1.3 million vehicles worldwide due to a defect that could cause a foam pad near the seat belt to ignite during collisions. The Japanese automaker said the recall includes 134,900 model-year 2006 and 2007 Yaris subcompacts that were sold in the U.S. Toyota Motor Sales USA said it is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to recall the vehicles.

Toyota spokesman said in "severe front-end collisions," the mechanism that tightens the vehicle's seat belt expels a gas that could cause a sound-insulating foam pad nearby to ignite. In a worst-case scenario, the problem could cause a fire, he said.  However, ... said no cases of either have been reported where this actually happened in the U.S., and no other vehicles are affected.   The recall affects about 1.28 million vehicles worldwide that are based on Toyota's Yaris platform.

MORE RECALL INFO:    Toyota Yaris

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