Toyota and Lexus Recall Vehicles Due to Seat Belt Concerns

Toyota and Lexus are issuing a recall for over 40,000 vehicles due to a potential defect in the second-row center seat belts. The issue stems from a manufacturing error during the seat belt webbing’s “hot-knife cutting process,” where incorrect tooling may have caused damage. This could compromise the seat belt’s effectiveness in a crash, posing a safety risk.

The problem was discovered during a routine parts inspection, revealing melt marks on the seat belt webbing. Subsequent investigation revealed that the affected seat belts might not meet federal safety standards. The faulty seat belts were manufactured by Joyson Safety Systems in Mexico.

The recall affects several 2024 and 2025 models, including the Toyota Camry (32,529 units), and various Lexus models: the 2025 NX250, NX350, and NX350h, as well as the 2024-2025 RX350, RX350h, and RX500h (3,242 units).

Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail in late March or early April and instructed to bring their vehicles to a dealership. Technicians will inspect the seat belt webbing and replace the entire seat belt assembly if any damage is found. While Toyota estimates that less than 0.1% of the recalled vehicles actually have defective seat belts, the large number of affected vehicles necessitates the recall to ensure passenger safety.