(ConservativeJournal.org) – Toyota has issued an urgent recall for 50,000 older vehicles in the United States because of airbag issues. Certain models, including the 04 Corolla, 04 Corolla Matrix, and 05 Rav 4s, all with air bags from Takata, are in danger of said airbags exploding.
Takata airbag inflators have been linked to more than 30 deaths worldwide, with 26 reported of those in the United States alone. The defective inflators have the potential to explode, releasing metal shrapnel inside the vehicles.
Toyota’s recent recall includes Rav 4 models with issues in the driver’s airbag and other models with problems in the front passenger airbag. Certain Corolla and Corolla Matrix models also face a second recall due to concerns that the airbag may deploy even without a collision.
This “do not drive” warning is not unprecedented, as most other car-making companies have issued similar advisories for vehicles with older Takata airbag inflators because of accidents. Toyota refrained from commenting whether the warning was prompted by a specific injury or fatality related to these vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has not provided immediate comments on the situation. Toyota clarified that this warning is an additional effort to support the ongoing Takata recall, aiming to help increase repair rates for owners who may be harder to reach and have received multiple recall notifications. Toyota notified their customers that they will be fixing or replacing any affect airbags for free.
Erin Witte, Director of Consumer Protection in the US, highlighted the broader issue within the US auto market, emphasizing that the burden is placed on consumers to ensure their vehicles are repaired, when it should be on the sellers. Witte emphasized that the real challenge lies in dealers being allowed to sell cars with known life-threatening safety defects, as revealed by a 2021 investigation from the Consumer Federation of America.
Copyright 2024, ConservativeJournal.org
