The Recall Desk
Our severity:SevereNHTSA·16V340000·Announced 2016-05-23

Toyota Recalls Vehicles for Air Bag Inflator Rupture Risk

Toyota is recalling specific 2006-2011 Scion, Toyota, Lexus, and Pontiac vehicles because the passenger air bag inflators may rupture in a crash, potentially causing serious injury or death.

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 source text explicitly states that the defect may result in 'serious injury or death' due to metal fragments, which aligns with the rubric criterion for 'significant injury/property-damage reports' or structural vehicle defects involving life-threatening hazards.

Plain-English summary

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling certain model year 2006-2011 Scion xB, Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, 4Runner, Sienna, Lexus IS F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, ES350, GX460, and Pontiac Vibe vehicles. The recall applies to vehicles originally sold or registered in specific high-humidity regions, designated as Zone A and Zone B in the source text. These vehicles are equipped with certain passenger frontal air bag inflators that may rupture due to propellant degradation after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, the inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking vehicle occupants, resulting in serious injury or death. The recall began on December 6, 2016. Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by Toyota or General Motors, depending on the brand. Dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator or the air bag assembly free of charge. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331 or the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

The recalled product

Product
LEXUS, TOYOTA, SCION IS 350C, IS 350, IS 250C, IS 250
Brand
LEXUS
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing
Category
Vehicle — Air Bag Inflator
Hazard
Affected units
1,754,517

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 (14)

  • IS 350C
  • IS 350
  • IS 250C
  • IS 250
  • IS F
  • MATRIX
  • XB
  • GX460
  • ES350
  • YARIS
  • COROLLA
  • VIBE
  • 4RUNNER
  • SIENNA

Distribution

Distributed nationwide across the United States.

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