Toyota announced on Monday that it was recommending that the owners of 50,000 older US cars get immediate recall repairs due to the possibility of an airbag inflator exploding and killing drivers.
The urgent alert Monday includes the RAV4 small SUV from 2004 and 2005, as well as some Corolla compact cars and Matrix hatchbacks from the 2003 and 2004 model years. About 11,000 Pontiac Vibes from 2003 and 2004, which were produced at the same California factory as the Matrix, are also covered. The majority of the cars are American-made.
Also read about new Toyota Corolla Cross.
1. Toyota’s statement: The driver or other passengers could suffer severe injuries or even lose their lives if the airbag detonates because a component inside is more likely to burst and shoot sharp metal fragments.
- History behind Toyota’s statement: Since 2009, Takata airbag inflators have been linked to over 30 deaths globally (26 in the US) and hundreds of injuries in vehicles made by different automakers. These explosions can release metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks.
In the past ten years, the largest auto safety recall in history has involved the recall of over 67 million Takata airbag inflators in the US by over 20 automakers, and over 100 million inflators globally.
According to Toyota, the driver's airbag is only affected by the Rav 4 recall, whereas the front passenger airbag is the subject of all other recalls. A second recall concerns particular Corolla and Corolla Matrix models, and it could cause the airbag to deploy even if there isn't a collision.
Other automakers have previously issued "do not drive" advisories for cars with older Takata airbag inflators following tragic collisions. If a major accident involving one of the cars resulted in a fatality or serious injury, Toyota declined to comment.
What’s Next?
According to a Toyota representative, the company is attempting to strengthen the ongoing Takata recall with this latest warning, since "an advisory can help increase repair rates for more difficult-to-reach owner populations who have received multiple communications about this recall." According to Toyota, the airbag will be fixed or replaced at no additional cost. More about Toyota cars.
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