Toyota Recalls 2005-2009 Tacoma for Air Bag Cable Defect
Toyota is recalling 2005-2009 Tacoma vehicles because steering wheel vibration may damage the cable powering the driver's air bag, potentially preventing deployment in a crash.
What this means for you
Our assessment, not the agency’s: severity 4/5 (Severe).
The hazard poses a serious risk of illness, injury, or structural failure. Stop using the product immediately and contact the manufacturer for a refund or repair.
Our severity reasoning: The recall involves a structural vehicle defect where the driver's air bag may fail to deploy in a crash, increasing the risk of personal injury, which aligns with the 'Severe' criteria for significant injury reports or structural defects.
Plain-English summary
Toyota is recalling certain model year 2005-2009 Tacoma vehicles manufactured between September 14, 2004, and August 29, 2008. The recall addresses a defect in the spiral cable assembly, also known as the clockspring, which powers the driver's air bag module.
Over time, steering wheel vibration may damage this assembly. If damage occurs, the air bag warning lamp will illuminate, and the air bag may become deactivated. In the event of a crash, the driver's side air bag may not deploy, increasing the risk of personal injury.
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the spiral cable assembly free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin in early April 2012, with an interim letter expected to be mailed to owners during that month. Owners may contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331.
The recalled product
- Product
- TOYOTA TACOMA
- Brand
- TOYOTA
- Manufacturer
- Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
- Category
- Vehicle — Pickup Truck
- Affected units
- 495,470
Is your product affected?
Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.
Model numbers (1)
- TACOMA
Distribution
Distributed nationwide across the United States.
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