The Recall Desk
SevereNHTSA·14V168000·Announced 2014-04-09

Toyota and Pontiac Vehicles Recalled for Driver Airbag Cable Defect

Toyota and General Motors are recalling specific 2006-2010 vehicles because a steering cable defect may prevent the driver's airbag from deploying in a crash.

What this means for you

Illness, injury, or structural failure has been reported. 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 airbag may fail to deploy, significantly increasing the risk of injury in a crash, which aligns with the 'Severe' criteria for structural vehicle defects.

Plain-English summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing and General Motors are recalling certain model year 2006-2008 RAV4, 2006-2010 Yaris, 2008-2010 Highlander, and 2009-2010 Tacoma, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The recall involves approximately 1.49 million vehicles. The defect concerns the steering column assembly, specifically the Flexible Flat Cable (FFC) that connects to the driver's airbag module. Due to the shape and location of the FFC's retainer, the cable can become damaged when the steering wheel is turned.

If the FFC is damaged, the electrical connection to the driver's airbag module may be lost, deactivating the airbag. This increases the risk of injury to the driver in a crash where the airbag would typically deploy. No specific injuries or fatalities are reported in the source text, but the potential for harm in a collision is significant.

Toyota sent an interim notification letter to owners in May 2014, with a second letter to follow when remedy parts are available. General Motors notified Pontiac Vibe owners in June 2014 that parts were unavailable, followed by a notice in September 2014 that a remedy was available. The recall officially began on October 27, 2014. Owners should contact Toyota at 1-800-331-4331 or General Motors at 1-800-762-2737 to schedule repairs.

The recalled product

Product
TOYOTA, PONTIAC TACOMA, YARIS, VIBE, COROLLA MATRIX
Brand
TOYOTA
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Category
Vehicle — Airbag / Safety System
Hazard
Affected units
1,486,413

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 (7)

  • TACOMA
  • YARIS
  • VIBE
  • COROLLA MATRIX
  • COROLLA
  • RAV4
  • HIGHLANDER

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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