Massive Toyota Recall: 1.12 Million Cars Affected by Air Bag Concern

New Delhi: Toyota Motor has announced a global recall of 1.12 million vehicles due to a potential issue with the air bag system. The recall, affecting vehicles from 2020 to 2022, includes models such as Avalon, Camry, Corolla, RAV4, and Lexus ES250, ES300H, ES350, RX350, Highlander, and Sienna Hybrid. The problem lies in a sensor that could cause the air bags to malfunction and not deploy correctly in the event of an accident.

Of the total recall, approximately 1 million vehicles are in the United States alone. The specific concern revolves around the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors, which are responsible for detecting the presence and size of occupants in the front seat. These sensors play a crucial role in preventing air bags from deploying if there is a small adult or child seated in the front. Toyota dealerships will conduct inspections and, if necessary, replace the malfunctioning sensors.

Owners of the affected vehicles can expect to be notified about the recall starting in February. This recall follows a previous recall in July 2022, which involved 3,500 RAV4 vehicles in the United States. The earlier recall addressed a potential issue related to internal parts that could interfere with the OCS sensors, leading to inaccurate occupant detection.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration highlights the importance of frontal air bags in saving lives, having reportedly saved over 50,000 lives in the US over the past three decades. The motivation behind updating the sensors is to ensure that the air bags deploy appropriately based on the occupants’ size and position, as previous air bag models had a uniform deployment pattern for all individuals. This uniformity caused injuries and, in rare cases, even fatalities among children, small adults, and unbelted passengers who were in close proximity to the air bag upon deployment.