Toyota Motor Corporation said on Monday it is urging the owners of 50,000 older U.S. vehicles to get immediate recall repairs because an air bag inflator could explode and potentially kill motorists.
The Japanese automaker said the “Do Not Drive” advisory covers some 2003-2004 model year Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix, and 2004-2005 RAV4s with Takata air bag inflators.
More than 30 deaths worldwide, including 26 U.S. deaths, and hundreds of injuries in various automakers’ vehicles since 2009 are linked to Takata air bag inflators that can explode, unleashing metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks.
Over the last decade, more than 67 million Takata air bag inflators have been recalled in the United States by more than 20 automakers, and more than 100 million inflators worldwide, in the biggest auto safety callback in history.
Toyota said the RAV4 recall involves the driver’s airbag while the other recalls involve the front passenger airbag only. In some Corolla and Corolla Matrix models, certain vehicles are also involved in a second recall that can cause the airbag to deploy even without a crash.
There have been prior “Do Not Drive” warnings issued by other automakers for vehicles with older Takata air bag inflators after fatal crashes. Toyota declined to answer if the “Do Not Drive” warning had been prompted by a serious injury or fatal incident involving one of the vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did not immediately comment.
Although manufacturers can make every effort to notify affected customers about recalls, it’s not always possible. So, if you want to check if your car has an active recall, sometimes you need to do it yourself. Checking for a new or old recalls on your vehicle is easier than you think. Enter your vehicles VIN number at NHTSA Recall Site or checktoprotect.org to see if your vehicle has a open recall.
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