The new recall in the United States will include the 2008 Corolla and Corolla Matrix models as well as 2008 to 2010 model years Lexus SC 430 vehicles. With this addition, the total number of Toyota vehicles recalled over Takata airbag issue has been raised to 15,314,000 worldwide, including 3,156,000 in the United States.
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Takata air bag ruptures have been blamed for 10 deaths and the inflators are under recall by more than 10 different automakers.
Takata airbags have taken another toll on Toyota as the automaker announces the expansion of two recalls involving front passenger airbag inflators.
All known owners will be notified by Toyota and Lexus via first class mail. The publication is calling this the “recall of the century”, as up to 90 million more recalls are possible. The recall was soon expanded to include another 17 million cars, but only after Takata had pressure to do so.
Rosekind said a larger recall also would “increase uncertainty for consumers” and “significantly complicate” the process of supplying replacement parts on high-risk vehicles.
“Ammonium nitrate seems to be the problem”, he said of the volatile chemical used to inflate millions of Takata air bags.
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“Emails and documents reviewed by committee minority staff reveal a culture within Takata that, at a minimum, did not prioritize the safety of its products – and perhaps operated with an utter disregard for safety”, the report says. NHTSA has repeatedly said it would quickly expand the recalls if it obtained evidence of additional issues.
