The often criticized piecemeal approach to recalling vehicles equipped with shrapnel-shooting Takata airbags continued today as Toyota announced the recall of nearly 200,000 cars in the U.S.
Toyota expanded two of its recalls of vehicles with Takata airbags on Wednesday in order to add certain model years to the lineup.
The recall, which affects 198,000 vehicles in the U.S., covers model year 2008 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles, as well as model year 2008 to 2010 Lexus SC 430.
According to Toyota, which hasn’t submitted the recall notice to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration yet, the affected vehicles contain Takata-produced dual-stage front passenger airbag inflator which could potentially be susceptible to rupture when deployed in a crash.
The company will notify owners of the vehicles and dealers will replace the airbag inflator or airbag when parts are available.
Takata airbags have been at the center of a years-long worldwide recall of 25 million vehicles from 14 automakers. The safety devices can explode with enough force to spray pieces of metal into passengers and drivers.
Researchers announced last week that three factors contribute to the explosive airbags: the use of propellant ammonium nitrate, manufacturing issues, and prolonged exposure to humidity work together to cause the airbag ruptures
So far, the issue has been linked to nine deaths in the U.S. — 10 worldwide — and hundreds of injuries.
by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist
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