Toyota to recall 1.12 million vehicles for airbag sensor short circuit issue; one million vehicles in US

Toyota will recall 1.12 million vehicles worldwide due to a short circuit in a sensor that could lead to airbags not deploying as designed, Reuters reported.

This recall will involve vehicles made in model years 2020 through 2022, and will be comprised of models including the Avalon, Camry, Corolla, RAV4, Lexus ES250, ES300H, ES350, RX350 Highlander and Sienna Hybrid. Of the 1.12 million vehicles worldwide involved, one million are in the United States, according to the report.

The component at the centre of this recall is the occupant classification system (OCS) sensor, which detects the occupant seated in the front seat and classifies them as either an adult or child occupant; this is to ensure that the airbag is not deployed when a child or small adult is in the seat involved.

Toyota plans to begin notifying vehicle owners of the recall in February; it remains to be seen whether or not this will involve any vehicles in the Malaysian market. In the United States, dealers will inspect the vehicles’ OCS sensors, and replace them if necessary.

Previously, Toyota had recalled some 3,500 units of the RAV4 in the United States due to potential interference between internal parts that could cause the OCS sensor to incorrectly detect the occupant in the seat.

The danger arises when the airbag could deploy with occupants smaller than fully grown adults seated in position, along with unbelted passengers who are seated to close to the airbag as it deploys, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the United States was quoted as saying.

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