Toyota issued a "do not drive" advisory for 2003-2004 Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix, and model year 2004-2005 RAV4 vehicles on Tuesday (Jan. 30) because of their use of defective Takata airbags that could explode and injure or kill drivers.
The company also advised customers not to drive their vehicles to their dealerships. Instead, they would offer mobile repair at the vehicle's location or towing services.
The recall followed a similar but larger one last December, which impacted 1.12 million vehicles.
"If the airbag deploys, a part inside is more likely to explode and shoot sharp metal fragments which could cause serious injury or death," the Japanese automobile company stated in its advisory, adding that they would repair or replace the airbags free of charge.
Part of the recall included about 50,000 vehicles in the US and around 7,300 in Canada.
Defective Takata Airbags
Time reported that Takata airbags led to some of the largest recalls in motor vehicle history, which has since impacted over 100 million products and over 20 automobile manufacturers. There have been at least 27 deaths and 400 injuries in the US since the recall was introduced, according to US Department of Transportation data.
In 2017, Takata filed for bankruptcy after years of recalls, lawsuits, and a criminal investigation, with its assets sold to Chinese-owned Key Safety Systems.
Meanwhile, Toyota has also been facing issues regarding the shipment of various models with diesel engines due to an affiliate misleading Japanese officials over certification tests.
When asked about the scandals at Toyota's subsidiaries, the company's president Koji Sata cited workplace pressures and a highly competitive industry.
"We recognize that not only people at the testing site but also management did not have proper understanding of certification," he added.
Those who think they are affected by the recall could input their vehicle identification number at Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Related Article : GM Recalls Roughly 900 Cars Due to Issue With Takata Air Bag Inflators
