Toyota said on Monday it was urging the owners of 50,000 older US vehicles to get immediate recall repairs because an airbag inflator could explode and potentially kill motorists.
The Japanese automaker said the “do not drive” advisory covers some 2003-04 model year Corolla, 2003-04 Corolla Matrix, and 2004-05 Rav 4s with Takata airbag inflators.
More than 30 deaths worldwide, including 26 US deaths, and hundreds of injuries in various automakers’ vehicles since 2009 are linked to Takata airbag inflators that can explode, unleashing metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks.
Over the last decade, more than 67m Takata airbag inflators have been recalled in the United States by more than 20 automakers, and more than 100m inflators worldwide, in the biggest auto safety callback in history.
Toyota said the Rav 4 recall involves the driver’s airbag while the other recalls involve the front passenger airbag only. In some Corolla and Corolla Matrix models, certain vehicles are also involved in a second recall that can cause the airbag to deploy even without a crash.
There have been prior “do not drive” warnings issued by other automakers for vehicles with older Takata airbag inflators after fatal crashes. Toyota declined to answer if the “do not drive” warning had been prompted by a serious injury or fatal incident involving one of the vehicles.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did not immediately comment.
