The company last week halted sales of affected vehicles, which is said to include tens of thousands of cars and trucks that are currently in dealer inventory. Due to a fabric supplier switch in 2012, many vehicles equipped with seat heaters do not meet the government’s flammability standards.
“We don’t believe that it is a defect issue or a safety-related issue because there has been no occurrence of any problems out in the real world,” Toyota spokesman John Hanson told Automotive News.
The non-compliant heated seats are said to be installed in less than ten perfect of the Camry, Avalon, Corolla, Sienna, Tundra and Tacoma models that have been delivered to dealers.
If the NHTSA accepts Toyota’s request for a waiver, the agency will continue to monitor noncompliance and consider a recall if the seats are later determined to pose a safety risk.
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