Toyota Motor Recalls Over a Million Vehicle Models Citing Airbag Glitch

Toyota Motor announced on Wednesday, Dec. 20, that it is set to recall a number of vehicle models, and about 1.12 million units are affected. The Japanese automaker explained it issued the recall as a short circuit in a sensor may prevent the airbags from deploying as they have been designed to do.

The Recalled Vehicles and Models Years

Toyota Motor said that its latest vehicle recall covers its RAV4, Camry, Avalon, Corolla, and Lexus units, including ES250, ES300H, ES350, and RX350 models. The recall also affects the brand’s Highlander and Sienna Hybrid sports utility vehicles (SUVs). These automobiles have the model years 2020 to 2022.

According to Reuters, one million Toyota vehicles are being recalled in the United States due to sensors connected to the airbags. The problem is that it may not detect a small adult or child sitting in the front passenger seat. This situation may cause the Occupant Classification System (OCS) where the sensors failed to work - which means incorrectly detecting any occupant in the seat.

Resolution or Fix Needed to Correct the Defect

CNN Business reported that the OCS sensor may short circuit, making it unable to detect any person in the car seat. While the short circuit may generally cause the defect, it was said that some sensors in the vehicles may not function as they should, as it is also possible that they were improperly made.

At any rate, the spokesperson of Toyota Motor reportedly declined to comment on the inquiry about any injury or accident report arising from the faulty OCS sensor. To solve the problem, the company will inspect the affected vehicle models and replace the sensors if needed. Meanwhile, the company said that it will start sending out recall notification memos to car owners in February 2024.

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