Photo of Toyota Corolla by NHTSA via Wikimedia Commons.

Photo of Toyota Corolla by NHTSA via Wikimedia Commons.

Toyota Motor Sales USA is expanding its recalls involving Takata front-passenger air bag inflators, adding nearly 1.6 million more vehicles.

“According to Takata, a safety defect may arise in front passenger air bag inflators in the involved vehicles due to inflator propellant degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures and high temperature cycling,” Toyota said in a released statement  “This may result in an inflator rupture when the air bag deploys.”

This safety recall expansion involves approximately 1,584,000 additional Toyota vehicles in the U.S. The following models are included:

  • 2009-2011-MY Corolla, Matrix
  • 2006-2011-MY Yaris
  • 2010-2011-MY 4Runner
  • 2011-MY Sienna
  • 2008-2011-MY Scion xB
  • 2007-2011-MY Lexus ES
  • 2010-2011-MY Lexus GX
  • 2006-2011-MY Lexus IS.

All known owners of the affected Toyota, Scion, and Lexus vehicles will be notified by first-class mail. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the air bag inflator or the air bag assembly. There will be no charge for this service.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on May 4 announced plans to expand and accelerate the recall of Takata air bag inflators, adding 35-40 million more frontal air bag inflators that use an ammonium nitrate-based propellant. The decision followed the federal agency’s confirmation of the root cause behind the inflators’ propensity to rupture. Toyota’s recall expansion is part of that broader plan for multiple automakers.

Takata air bag inflator ruptures have been tied to 10 deaths and more than 100 injuries in the U.S., according to NHTSA.

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