Fmvss 208/third row rear seat belts
Defect Summary
Toyota is recalling 90,189 my 2008 highlander and highlander hybrid passenger vehicles equipped with a third row seat. these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, "occupant crash protection." the non-driver designated seating positions (dsp) on these vehicles is equipped with seat belt assemblies that have a feature that converts the retractor from an emergency locking retractor (elr) to an automatic locking retractor (alr). the belts convert to the alr mode after the webbing has been fully withdrawn from the retractor. the system is designed so that as the belt is released into the retractor, the system remains in the alr mode so that a child restraint system (crs) can be tightly secured.
Safety Consequence
However, for the two third row dsp's on these vehicles, the alr mode deactivates before the webbing is fully retracted, so that it will not lock when certain rear-facing crs's that have a short seat belt routing path are installed in the vehicle. this can allow the seat belt webbing to spool out during normal driving maneuvers, which could affect the stability of a child restraint installed at those seating positions. as such, this could discourage the use of a child restraint and in the event of a crash, the child may not be adequately protected possibly resulting in injury.
Corrective Action
Dealers will install a newly designed seat belt component free of charge. the recall is expected to begin on or about december 18, 2008. owners may contact toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
Similar Recalls
Other recalls from Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing or involving Seat Belts.
FAQ: Recall 08V181000
Your rights, the repair process, and what each field on this page means.
What is recall 08V181000?
NHTSA recall 08V181000 was issued by Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing on April 18, 2008. It addresses: Fmvss 208/third row rear seat belts. The recall affects approximately 90,189 vehicles, with the defect involving the Seat Belts component.
How do I get this recall repaired?
Contact any authorized Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing dealer and reference NHTSA recall ID 08V181000 or the manufacturer campaign number 80D. Under federal law, the repair is completely free regardless of vehicle age or owner history.
Is my vehicle included in this recall?
The only way to confirm is to look up your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA's tool will tell you if VIN-by-VIN this exact recall applies.
How long do I have to get a recall repair done?
There is no expiration on most federal safety recalls. Even if your vehicle is years old and you bought it used, the manufacturer is required to perform the repair at no cost.
Where does the data on this page come from?
All information on this page is sourced directly from the U.S. Department of Transportation public dataset for NHTSA recalls. Last refreshed: 2026-05-22. For the most current official notice, visit nhtsa.gov/recalls.