Toyota Motor has issued a "Do Not Drive" advisory to the owners of around 50,000 older US vehicles, urging them to get immediate recall repairs due to a potentially lethal airbag inflator defect.
The Japanese automaker's cautionary statement on Monday highlights the risk of an airbag inflator explosion that could result in fatalities.
The advisory specifically covers certain models, including the 2003-2004 Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix, and 2004-2005 RAV4s, all equipped with Takata airbag inflators. Toyota disclosed that the RAV4 recall involves the driver's airbag, while the recalls for Corolla and Corolla Matrix models pertain to the front passenger airbag only. Additionally, some of these vehicles are part of a second recall due to a defect that can cause the airbag to deploy even without a crash.
Takata airbag inflators have been implicated in a string of incidents globally, with more than 30 deaths worldwide, including 26 in the US, and hundreds of injuries linked to the defective inflators since 2009. These inflators have been found to explode, releasing metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks.
Over the past decade, the recall efforts have been massive, involving more than 67 million Takata airbag inflators in the United States alone. This makes it the most extensive auto safety recall in history, with over 20 automakers recalling more than 100 million inflators worldwide.
Notably, other automakers have issued similar "Do Not Drive" warnings for vehicles equipped with older Takata airbag inflators following fatal incidents. Toyota, however, has not provided information on whether the current advisory is in response to a serious injury or a fatal incident involving one of the affected vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not issued an immediate comment on Toyota's advisory.
This move by Toyota follows a pattern of automakers taking swift action to address the dangers associated with faulty Takata airbag inflators. Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler, issued warnings in July and November 2022 for certain Dodge Ram pickups and other older US vehicles, respectively, following fatalities linked to the inflators.
Similarly, Honda Motor (7267.T) issued a "Do Not Drive" warning in February 2023 for Acura and Honda vehicles after a fatal incident in Kentucky.
Honda has reported 17 US deaths and more than 200 injuries in the United States related to Takata inflator ruptures.
