Toyota recalls 2.9M SUVs after Transport Canada discovers rear seatbelt defect

Toyota Motor Corp. is recalling 2.87 million SUVs worldwide following a Transport Canada investigation found a defect that may result in the rear seatbelt being severed in a crash.

The recall includes 150,000 RAV4s in Canada in the 2006 to 2012 model years.

Transport Canada engineers discovered the defect once they reconstructed a fatal crash involving a 2011 RAV4 that occurred in Canada. The crash was unusual because the front occupants from the car survived as the rear passengers didn’t.

During the test, both rear seatbelts were severed due to contact with the metal seat-cushion frames.

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Toyota confirmed the issue and it has launched a recall to fix it.

“This is more than just a case of Transport Canada finding a safety problem and doing a thorough investigation,” Transport Minister Marc Garneau said inside a statement.

“These findings possess a real-world impact and it is measured in human life. – These findings underscore the significance of our crash-test and safety oversight programs, and i am very proud of the department’s research engineers and investigators – they’ve done some tremendous work with Canadians.”

The RAV4 is built in Woodstock, Ont., and is one of Toyota Canada’s best-selling vehicles. In 2015, a record 42,246 of the SUVs were bought from Canada, up 15.3 per cent from a year earlier.