Toyota is recalling about 1 million cars in the U.S. because there's a problem with the front passenger air bags. Because they might not work correctly in a crash, which could put passengers at even more risk of injury.
Toyota says it's because of a potential defect in the Occupant Classification System sensors in the front passenger seat. Basically, there could be a short circuit that messes up the air bag system and it won't be able to detect the passenger or deploy properly. So, if you own one of these models from 2020-2022:
- Avalon, Avalon Hybrid - (2021-2022)
- Camry, Camry Hybrid - (2021-2022)
- Corolla - (2021-2022)
- Highlander, Highlander Hybrid - (2021-2022)
- RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid - (2021-2022)
- Sienna Hybrid - (2021)
Or if you have one of these Lexus models:
- ES250 - (2021)
- ES300H - (2021-2022)
- ES350 - (2021-2022)
- RX350 - (2021-2022)
- RX450H - (2021-2022)
You might want to get in touch with Toyota because they need to fix this issue ASAP.
If you own a Toyota or Lexus vehicle, you might want to pay attention to this. Toyota and Lexus dealers are offering a free inspection for vehicles affected by a safety recall, and if needed, they'll replace the OCS sensors without any cost to you. Pretty sweet, right? They'll be notifying all owners by the middle of February 2024, so keep an eye out for that.
To check if your vehicle is part of the recall, just go to Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate info. Easy peasy!
If you have any questions or need more info about Toyota vehicles, you can get in touch with the Toyota Brand Engagement Center at (800) 331-4331. And if you're a Lexus owner, you can call the Lexus Brand Engagement Center at (800) 255-3987.
By the way, this is the third big recall for Toyota in recent months. In November, they recalled 1.9 million RAV4 SUVs in the U.S. because of a potential fire hazard caused by battery shifting during sharp turns.
On October 26, Toyota had to recall around 751,000 Toyota Highlander SUVs in the U.S. because the little tabs that hold the front lower bumper covers weren't doing their job. Turns out, even a tiny fender bender could make the whole bumper cover assembly come loose, which is definitely not safe for drivers.
