Toyota has announced three separate recalls, two of which are expansions or previous recalls, which involve air bag defects in older Toyota model vehicles.
The first recall involves 159,700 Toyota RAV4 vehicles manufactured May 13, 2003, to October 25, 2005 that are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag. These RAV4s are from Toyota’s 2004 and 2005 model year lines. The reason for the recall is that the driver side front air bag may be susceptible to moisture intrusion. The moisture will damage the air bag, which will cause the inflator to rupture or the air bag to deploy abnormally. The inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the driver or other occupants.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver’s frontal air bag, free of charge. Owners will be notified by mid-July 2015. An interim notice will be mailed if parts are not available at that time. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 800-331-4331.
The second recall involves 2003-2004 model year Tundra vehicles and 2004 model year Sequoia vehicles. The total number of recalled vehicles is 176,631. These vehicles were manufactured from March 18, 2003, to August 25, 2004. The reason for the recall is a safety defect in the passenger side front air bag inflator. The defect stems from excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.
This recall is an expansion of 14V-312. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 800-331-4331.
Finally, Toyota will recall 300,000 vehicles that affect six different vehicles models that were originally sold, or ever registered, in Florida, along the Gulf Coast, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, Saipan and American Samoa. The affected vehicles are the following:
Lexus Sc 2005-2007
Pontiac Vibe 2005-2007
Toyota Corolla 2005-2007
Toyota Corolla Matrix 2005-2007
Toyota Sequoia 2005-2007
Toyota Tundra 2005-2006
The problem is, once again, the inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture or abnormal deployment in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.
This recall is an expansion of recall 14V-655. Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side front air bag, free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 800-331-4331. Pontiac Vibe owners may contact GM at 800-762-2737.
Americans rely on manufacturers to provide a safe well-designed product. Sadly, that is not often the case. The Auto Defect Attorneys at The Brandi Law Firm have successfully represented many people injured from defective autos such as Toyotas, Fords, Chryslers, Hondas, GM, and their component parts. Additionally, we have successfully represented people injured by defective helmets, bicycles, motorcycles, fuel pumps, brakes, car seats, seat belts, air bags, table saws, pumps, industrial machinery used in the workplace, barbeques, heating systems, and numerous other household and industrial products.
Often times, people involved in accidents do not examine the issues of defective product design, the risks inherent in the design, feasible alternatives, and appropriate warnings. In a car accident, we examine whether the car was truly crashworthy – does it contain the appropriate crash protection. In accidents where someone strikes a guardrail, people often do not consider the guardrail may be unsafe, installed improperly, or whether there is a contributing factor in the roadway design leading to a dangerous condition. We have represented a number of people seriously injured in these types of accidents involving dangerous conditions of roads and crashworthy vehicles. If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto crash, our attorneys at The Brandi Law Firm are available to consult with you. Please contact our office at 800-481-1615 or email us.
Trademark Notice
Toyota is a registered trademark of Toyota Motor Corporation. The use of this trademark is solely for product identification and informational purposes. Toyota Motor Corporation is not affiliated with this website, and Toyota Motor Corporation has no affiliation with The Brandi Law Firm. Nothing on this site has been authorized or approved by Toyota Motor Corporation.