Toyota has recalled 650,000 more cars because of a passenger airbag defect. The world’s largest carmaker has so far recalled 2.79 million automobiles because of the airbag fault.
The affected vehicles were fitted with airbag inflators which may have been assembled with improperly manufactured propellant. If the propellant is manufactured defectively it can cause the inflator to rupture and the front passenger airbag will deploy abnormally in the event of a collision.
So far, Toyota has received a report of a burnt seat cover due to the passenger airbag defect.
The Toyota Motor Corporation, based in Toyota City, Japan, employs more than 333,000 people globally. Its profits in the year ending March 31, 2014, nearly doubled to ¥1.82 trillion ($17.8 billion).
Recall missed some cars
There was a problem in completing the recall resulting in not all the potentially affected vehicles being recalled. Toyota had been notifying owners according to the serial numbers given by Takata Corp., the parts maker. However, in some cases that number was incomplete, so some of the automobiles were not fixed.
All involved vehicles will now have a replacement inflator, Toyota said, regardless of their serial numbers. So, 350,000 owners worldwide are being re-notified to bring their cars back to be fixed.
Toyota announced in a press release today:
“For vehicles which were inspected and did not receive a replacement inflator, Toyota will re-notify the owners and replace the inflator with a new one.”
“For vehicles which have not received the 2013 recall remedy previously, Toyota is changing the remedy from ‘inspect and replace the inflator if it is involved’ to ‘replace the inflator with a new one.'”.
More than ¾ of a million affected cars in the US
In the US alone, about 766,300 automobiles were covered by last year’s recall, including those that had been previously inspected and already received a replacement.
The recall involves some of the following models:
- Corolla – 2003/2004,
- Corolla Matrix – 2003/2004,
- Tundra – 2003/2004,
- Sequoia – 2002 to 2004,
- Lexus SC 430 coupe – 2002 to 2004.
If you are in the US and want more information, call the Toyota Customer Experience at 1 800-331-4331, go to www.toyoyta.com/recall , or telephone Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1 800-255-3987.
Shares in parts maker Takata fell after Toyota’s announcement. When the Tokyo market closed today, Takata shares were 4% down. Other carmakers may have to recall some of their vehicles, the company said, due to possible airbag inflator faults.
(Data source: Toyota)
Millions of recalls and several defects
In April Toyota announced recalls totaling 6.4 million cars covering the following defects:
- A spiral cable (3.4 million cars),
- steering columns,
- windshield (UK: windscreen) wipers,
- seat rails,
- an engine starter fault that raises the risk of fire.
