Toyota Motor has issued a stark warning to the owners of approximately 50,000 older U.S. vehicles, urging them to undergo immediate recall repairs due to a potentially life-threatening airbag inflator issue. The Japanese automaker’s advisory specifically covers certain 2003-2004 model year Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix, and 2004-2005 RAV4s equipped with Takata airbag inflators.
The alert comes as a response to the persisting dangers associated with Takata airbag inflators, which have been linked to over 30 deaths worldwide, including 26 in the United States, and hundreds of injuries since 2009. The faulty inflators can explode, releasing metal shrapnel inside vehicles and causing severe harm to occupants.
Over the past decade, more than 67 million Takata airbag inflators have been recalled in the United States by over 20 automakers, and the global recall encompasses more than 100 million inflators, marking one of the most extensive auto safety callbacks in history.
Toyota specified that the recall for RAV4 models pertains to the driver’s airbag, while the recalls for Corolla and Corolla Matrix models involve the front passenger airbag. In some instances, certain vehicles within these models are also subject to a second recall related to the potential deployment of the airbag even without a crash.
The “Do Not Drive” advisory is not unprecedented, as other automakers have issued similar warnings in the past following fatal incidents involving older Takata airbag inflators. Toyota, however, did not disclose whether the current advisory was prompted by a specific serious injury or fatal incident.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not provided immediate comments on Toyota’s advisory. Other automakers, including Stellantis and Honda, have previously issued similar warnings and recalls related to faulty Takata airbag inflators after fatal incidents and safety concerns.
The urgency of Toyota’s advisory highlights the ongoing challenges posed by defective Takata airbag inflators and underscores the need for affected vehicle owners to prioritize immediate recall repairs to mitigate the risks associated with these potentially lethal components.
