Toyota is recalling about a million cars in the U.S. because passenger airbags may not deploy properly in a crash, posing additional risk of injury to drivers, the automaker said Wednesday.
A potential defect in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors in the front passenger seat of the affected vehicles could cause a short circuit, Toyota said in a statement posted on its website. This may result in the airbag system not correctly detecting the presence and weight of the passenger and not deploying as intended.
The recall affects the following 2020-2022 Toyota and Lexus models:
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Toyota
- Avalon, Avalon Hybrid – 2020-2021
- Camry, Camry Hybrid – 2020-2021
- Corolla – 2020-2021
- Highlander, Highlander Hybrid – 2020-2021
- RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid – 2020-2021
- Sienna Hybrid – 2021
Lexus
- ES250 – 2021
- ES300H – 2020-2022
- ES350 – 2020-2021
- RX350 – 2020-2021
- RX450H – 2020-2021
To remedy the situation, Toyota and Lexus dealers will inspect the affected vehicles at no charge and, if necessary, replace the OCS sensors at no cost to vehicle owners, the recall notice said. Toyota said it will notify owners of all vehicles affected by the recall by mid-February 2024.
To see if your vehicle is part of the safety recall, enter your vehicle identification number (VIN) or license plate number at Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls.
For more information about Toyota vehicles, customers can contact the Toyota Brand Engagement Center at (800) 331-4331. For more information about Lexus vehicles, call the Lexus Brand Engagement Center at (800) 255-3987.
It is the third major recall for Toyota in recent months. In November, the company recalled 1.9 million RAV4 sport utility vehicles in the U.S. because the batteries could shift during sharp turns, potentially causing a fire.
Toyota also recalled about 751,000 Toyota Highlander SUVs in the U.S. on Oct. 26 to fix a problem with the tabs that secure the vehicles’ front lower bumper covers. Even a minor accident could cause the bumper cover to fall off, posing a potential danger to drivers, the company said.
—The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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