Toyota Recalls 1 Million Cars in the U.S.
Toyota is recalling roughly 1 million cars in the U.S. because the front passenger air bags may not deploy properly in a crash, posing additional risk of injury to riders, the car maker said Wednesday.
A potential defect in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors in the front passenger seat of affected vehicles could cause a short circuit, Toyota said in a notice posted on its website. As a result, the air bag system may not properly detect the passenger's presence and weight, and fail to deploy as designed.
The recall affects the following 2020-2022 Toyota and Lexus models:
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
As a remedy, Toyota and Lexus dealers will inspect affected vehicles for free and replace OCS sensors if necessary at no cost to vehicle owners, the recall notice states. Toyota said it will notify owners of all vehicles involved in the recall by the middle of February 2024.
To determine if your vehicle is involved in the safety recall, please enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate details on Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls.
If you require further information regarding Toyota vehicles, you can reach out to the Toyota Brand Engagement Center at (800) 331-4331. For additional details about Lexus vehicles, please contact the Lexus Brand Engagement Center at (800) 255-3987.
This marks the third significant recall for Toyota in recent months. In November, the company issued a recall for 1.9 million RAV4 sport utility vehicles in the United States due to the potential shifting of batteries during sharp turns, which could lead to a fire.
On October 26, Toyota also announced a recall of approximately 751,000 Toyota Highlander SUVs in the U.S. to address an issue with the tabs securing the front lower bumper covers. The company stated that even a minor collision could result in the bumper cover assembly detaching, posing a hazard to drivers.
