Toyota and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are announcing an equipment safety recall on the Japanese automaker's 2008 Highlanders and Highlander Hybrid models.
On the 2008 model year crossover, the optional stainless steel exhaust tip retention clamp apparently has a manufacturing defect that can cause it to develop microscopic cracks, and in the worst case, fall off. We're not entirely clear on why this warrants a full-blown safety recall (perhaps to avoid the possibility of road debris), but in any case, NHTSA reports that ten incidents have been filed and the recall is moving forward. Overall, only 39,100 clamps are suspected to be flawed, but Toyota is notifying all 121,000 Highlander owners in case they bought the add-on exhaust finisher at their local dealer's parts counter.
You can read the full press release after the jump, and contact your dealer for an inspection and fix if necessary.
[Source: Toyota]
