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Toyota Australia expands Takata recall (713)

Toyota Australia has recalled an additional 119,000 vehicles as part of its Takata airbag safety campaign.

This recall expansion involves separate activities for driver's and passenger's front airbags, as outlined below:

Passenger's Front Airbag

111,000 Corolla, Yaris and Rukus model vehicles are involved in this recall expansion, with build dates ranging between January 2010 and December 2012.

The recall is due to the possibility that the front passenger airbag inflators may be susceptible to moisture intrusion over time.

If this happens, this could potentially make the inflator assembly prone to rupture during an accident, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant.

It will take between one and three hours (model dependent) to replace the front passenger airbag inflator assembly.

Driver's Front Airbag

Toyota will initiate re-notification of 8,000 RAV4 and Echo vehicles, built between December 2002 and December 2003.

This is due to the front driver's airbag inflator having previously been replaced with an inflator that did not contain a desiccant (drying agent). This means the replacement airbags do not have a drying agent to compensate for humidity that may be absorbed over an extended period of time.

The vehicles involved in this re-notification will need to have the driver's side airbag replaced for a second time. On this occasion, the inflator will include a drying agent.

It will take approximately one hour to replace the front driver's airbag inflator assembly.

Parts for both of these activities are currently under preparation, supply timing to be confirmed.

Toyota Australia will notify by mail all affected vehicle owners of these recalls within the next few weeks.

Once replacement parts are available, Toyota Australia will send a letter to affected owners so they can make an appointment at their preferred Toyota dealer.

For both of these activities, rectification works will be carried out free of charge to the vehicle owner.

There have been no incidents or injuries reported in Australia as a result of either condition.

If owners are unsure whether their vehicle is involved in either of these recall campaign, please refer to the production details below in the Q&As or contact the Toyota recall campaign helpline on 1800 987 366.

Q&A - Driver's side front airbag recall campaign re-notification

Q1: What is the condition?
A1: The subject vehicles are equipped with driver's front airbag inflator assemblies that may have been assembled with humidity affected propellant wafers. In the event of driver's airbag deployment during a collision, the inner pressure of the inflator assembly could increase abnormally and the inflator body could rupture. The ruptured inflator may create metallic projectile fragments that could contact an occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

Q2: What is the function of the Inflator?
A2: The inflator is a device contained within the airbag assembly. It contains a solid propellant which is ignited in the event airbag deployment is necessary. When ignited, the solid propellant expands into an inert gas, inflating the airbag.

Q3: Why is Toyota re-notifying Owners of this recall campaign?
A3: The replacement parts for the previous driver's side airbag recall campaign announced November 2014 were non-desiccated inflators. It has been determined that inflators containing a non-desiccated propellant that have been used as a replacement in vehicles will need to be recalled.

Q4: What is a desiccant?
A4: A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds moisture) substance that is added to the inflator to prevent moisture absorption by the propellant wafers.

Q5: What if I have not had the previous recall campaign completed?
A5: This recall campaign needs to be competed regardless of the completion status of the previous driver's side airbag recall campaign announced November 2014. Following completion of this recall campaign, the previous driver's side airbag recall campaign will not need to be completed.

Q6: Which and how many vehicles are involved?
A6: There are approximately 8,172 RAV4 and Echo vehicles covered by this campaign in the Australian market.

Notes:
1/ Although the involved vehicles are within the above VIN ranges, not all vehicles in these VIN ranges were sold in the Australian market.
2/ (#) indicates additional check digit (alpha or numeric).

Q6a: Are there any other Toyota vehicles covered by this campaign?
A6a: No. There are no other models covered by this campaign.

Q6b: Why are other vehicles not covered by this campaign?
A6b: Only the above production range Echo NCP10/13 & RAV4 ACA2# have been identified as having non-desiccated recall replacement driver's side front airbag inflators.

Q7: Are there any warnings that this condition has occurred?
A7: No. There are no warnings that this condition exists.

Q8: What is Toyota going to do?
A8: Toyota will notify owners by mail at their last known address to make an appointment with any authorised Toyota Dealer to have the driver's side front air bag inflator replaced with an inflator containing desiccant. Expected commencement timing April 2017.
Toyota Dealers will perform required rectification FREE OF CHARGE to the vehicle owner.

Q9: How long will the repair take?
A9: This repair will take approximately 1 hour. However, depending upon the Dealer's work schedule, it may be necessary to make your vehicle available for a longer period of time.

Q10: What is the difference to the Passenger's side Air Bag recall?
A10: In the passenger's side air bag recall, the design of the airbag inflator and the mechanism of moisture intrusion are different

Q11: Why is Toyota announcing this recall and replacing parts are not available?
A11: Toyota takes the safety of our guests seriously, as soon as we identified the issue we decided to inform our guests, this allows additional care to be taken when driving.

Q&A - Passenger's Side Front Airbag Q&A

Q1: What is the condition?
A1: In the involved vehicles, the front passenger's airbag inflators contain a non-desiccated phase stabilised ammonium nitrate propellant. A possibility exists that after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling, inflator propellant may degrade due to the absorption of moisture. In the event of an accident requiring frontal airbag deployment, abnormal inflator deployment and rupture may occur. The ruptured inflator may create metallic projectile fragments that could contact an occupant, increasing the risk of injury.

Q2: What is the function of the Inflator?
A2: The inflator is a device contained within the airbag assembly. It contains a solid propellant which is ignited in the event airbag deployment is necessary. When ignited, the solid propellant expands into an inert gas, inflating the airbag.

Q3: What is a desiccant?
A3: A desiccant is a hygroscopic (attracts and holds moisture) substance that is added to the inflator to prevent moisture absorption by the propellant wafers.

Q4: Which and how many vehicles are involved?
Q4: In the Australian market, there are 111,214 Toyota Corolla ZRE15#, Yaris NCP93 & Rukus AZE151 vehicles involved.

Note: 1) Although the involved vehicles are within the above VIN ranges, not all vehicles in these VIN ranges were sold in the Australian market.
2) (#) indicates additional check digit (alpha or numeric) old in Australia.

Q5: Are there any other Toyota vehicles covered by this Passenger air bag campaign in the Australian market?
A5: Yes, This recall campaign is in addition to previous recall campaigns that have been announced for other ranges of Toyota Avensis, Corolla and Yaris vehicles.

Q6: Are there any warnings that this condition has occurred?
A6: No. There are no warnings that this condition exists.

Q7: Have any accidents or injuries been reported as a result of this condition?
A7: Toyota have not received any reports of accidents or injuries as a result of this condition in the Australian market.

Q8: What is Toyota going to do?
A8: An interim letter will be mailed out to owners of the involved vehicles on or about 20th April 2017 to provide early detail of this forthcoming campaign. At the time of parts availability, Toyota will again notify owners by mail to make an appointment with an authorised Toyota Dealer to have the front passenger's air bag inflator replaced.
Toyota Dealers will perform required rectification FREE OF CHARGE to the vehicle owner.

Q9: How long will the repair take?
A9: This repair will take approximately one to three hours subject to vehicle model. Depending upon the dealer's work schedule, it may be necessary to make your vehicle available for a longer period of time.

Q10: Why is Toyota announcing this recall when replacement parts are not available?
A11: Toyota decided to inform owners as soon as we identified the issue allowing additional care to be taken when driving.