Toyota recalls 1 million cars due to airbag dysfunction

Toyota has recalled Avalon, Camry, Highlander, RAV4, Sienna Hybrid, and Corolla models from between 2020 and 2022 over problems with the vehicle’s airbags.

The affected cars have issues with their front passenger seat airbag that dealerships are willing to inspect and repair at no cost to owners. This recall involved the Hybrid versions of the Avalon, Camry, Highlander, and RAV4, along with Lexus models 2021’s ES250, ES300H, ES350, RX350, and the RX450h.

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“The subject vehicles have Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors in the front passenger seat that could have been improperly manufactured, causing a short circuit,” Toyota explained in its recall Wednesday. “This would not allow the airbag system to properly classify the occupant’s weight, and the airbag may not deploy as designed in certain crashes, increasing the risk of injury.”

A spokesperson for Toyota told the Washington Examiner that the inspection and repair of an affected vehicle can be expected to take two and a half hours to complete.

While Toyota and Lexus have websites for owners to check if their car is affected by checking the VIN, the companies will not notify affected customers personally until February 2024.

Toyota’s previous recall came in November when it cited problems with the batteries of its RAV4 model from 2013-2018. The car battery had a propensity to short circuit and cause a fire, so it recalled 1,854,000 vehicles at the time. Lexus last had a recall in July, which affected its Lexus NX450h+ Plug-in Hybrid for a similar reason.

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This latest recall was voluntary, compared to others that have been enforced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA acting head Ann Carlson recently enforced a massive recall of 2 million Tesla vehicles. Carlson has since announced her resignation, which will take effect on Dec. 26.

There hasn’t been an NHTSA head confirmed by the Senate in six years. Former President Donald Trump never named a nominee during his term.