- Engineers worked with suppliers to modify the anchoring systems of the side-curtain airbags.
- Prior to a stop-sale being issued, the Grand Highlander and TX were selling well in the US.
- In August, Toyota had to buy back 11 Grand Highlanders and TX models.
Toyota has developed a fix for the Grand Highlander and Lexus TX that will allow it to end a stop-sale after the pair of SUVs failed an NHTSA audit in May because of defective side-curtain shield airbags.
An investigation from the national safety agency revealed that the side curtain airbag of the Grand Highlander and TX failed to stay fully inside the cabin if deployed with the driver’s side window rolled down. It found that one of the corners of the airbag could be pushed outside. It didn’t take long before Toyota’s engineers were able to re-create the fault and on June 20, the brand issued a recall notice and stop-sale to work on a fix.
Read: Your New Toyota Grand Highlander And Lexus TX Might Shoot Their Airbag Out The Window
Fast forward to September, and the group vice president of Toyota Motor North America’s quality division, Kent Rice, has confirmed that a remedy has been developed. Speaking with Auto News, Rice said engineers have worked with suppliers to modify the anchoring systems of the airbags, bringing them back into compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
“We make mistakes, right? It’s a difficult, complex business,” Rice said. “But one thing I’m proud of is, despite the fact that this has been painful, that we have customers who are anxious and dealers who can’t sell vehicles because of the airbags, there’s never been any discussion or question of cost. It’s only about what do we need to do to get this right for the customer. This is our opportunity to put our values into action.”
Approximately 154,000 Toyota Grand Highlander and Lexus TX models in the hands of customers will need to be repaired. A further 4,000 vehicles from dealer inventories also need to be fixed.
The NHTSA’s audit came at an inopportune for Toyota as the Grand Highlander and TX had been selling like gangbusters before the stop-sale was announced. Toyota was selling roughly an average of 9,200 Grand Highlanders each month, while Lexus was shifting 3,500 TXs each month in the U.S. In August, sales of both models fell into the negatives, as the carmaker had to buy back six Grand Highlanders and five TXs.
