Toyota recalls 2.9 million SUVs for possible seat belt failure

Reporting from Tokyo —  Toyota said Thursday it is recalling nearly 2.9 million sport utility vehicles, including more than 1.1 million in the U.S., because of seat belts that might fail in a crash.

The recall covers RAV4 SUVS from the 2005 through 2014 model years; the RAV4 electric vehicle from 2012 through 2014, sold in North America; and the Vanguard sold in Japan from 2005-2016, the Japanese automaker said.

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Toyota says it’s possible the belts in both second-row window seats could come in contact with a metal seat cushion frame in a severe frontal crash.

If that happens, the belts could be cut and would not restrain passengers.

The company says it will add plastic covers to the metal frame at no cost to customers.

The recall also affects 625,000 vehicles in Europe, 434,000 vehicles in China and 177,000 in Japan.

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