Toyota is issuing an urgent ‘Do Not Drive’ advisory for about 50,000 vehicles and urging owners to obtain an air bag safety recall repair.
The recall, which is free, affects certain model year 2003 to 2004 Corolla, 2003 to 2004 Corolla Matrix, and 2004 to 2005 RAV4 vehicles nationwide that are equipped with Takata air bags.
“Due to the age of the vehicles, if the air bag deploys, a part inside is more likely to explode and shoot sharp metal fragments which could cause serious injury or death to the driver or passengers,” Toyota said in a statement. “Owners should not drive these vehicles until the free safety recall repair has been conducted.”
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Toyota urges that you call the dealer, not drive
Toyota urges these car owners to contact a local dealer instead of driving the vehicle to the dealership for repairs. The dealers can provide several free repair options such as mobile repair at the vehicle’s current location, towing to the dealership, vehicle pickup and delivery, or other alternate transportation options, Toyota said.
Toyota said it is notifying known owners of affected vehicles every month through a variety of communication channels. Owners can also contact Toyota customer support directly by calling 1-800-331-4331.
How to check for recalls
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website includes a section that spotlights problems with Takata air bags. About 67 million of these air bags have been recalled because they can explode when deployed and cause serious injury or even death, according the the site.
Last November, Toyota recalled 1.85 million RAV4 sports utility vehicles over issues with battery hold-down assembly. This recall affected vehicles in the 2013 to 2018 model years. Under certain conditions, the battery could shift and potentially cause a fire, Toyota said. Toyota said that dealers would replace the battery hold-down clamp, battery tray and positive terminal cover with improved ones at no cost to customers.
Vehicle recalls are common. Manufacturers regularly monitor car safety and functions issues to alert drivers of necessary repairs.
You can check for manufacturer recalls of any models at the NHTSA website.
To check for recalls of any Toyota model, you can also visit the company’s safety recall website.
For both websites, you’ll need to enter your vehicle identification number or license plate information to perform a search.
Related Content
-
Top New Year’s Travel Destinations: Glamorous Cities & Peaceful RetreatsRing in the New Year your way — explore vibrant celebrations or find your peaceful retreat.
-
Jim Carrey Ran Out of Money in Retirement. Will You?Cash-strapped retirees are returning to the workforce. How to prevent becoming one of them.
-
Visa, Mastercard's Swipe Fee Settlement Might Save You Money, For NowThe limited-time agreement directly benefits merchants, which can potentially pass savings on to consumers.
-
New List Out On Medicare Part B Drugs Eligible for RebatesSome Medicare beneficiaries may pay lower coinsurance rates from April 1 to June 30 for the drugs, HHS says.
-
Use An iPhone? You May Be Hearing From A Class-Action Lawsuit GroupA handful of suits against the iPhone maker seek to crack down on everything from app store purchases to messaging.
-
Capital One/Discover: What's In Their Wallet For You?Push back on Capital One's planned merger with Discover is growing with one group of consumer advocates calling for a public hearing.
-
Lawmakers: Nix Social Security Offsets For Seniors In Student Loan DefaultOffsetting Social Security benefits to pay for defaulted student loans can be devastating for some beneficiaries, lawmakers say.
-
Stellantis Recalls 285K Vehicles Over Airbag ProblemsDefective airbag inflators on certain Chrysler and Dodge vehicles could rupture and cause injury or death, NHTSA says.
-
HHS Funding Secured As Major Government Shutdown AvoidedWith passage of the fiscal 2024 appropriations package, Medicare and Social Security are among the key agencies to receive funding through September 30.
-
State Farm To Exit Homeowner Renewal Policies in CaliforniaState Farm plans to send non-renewal notices to 72,000 home and apartment policyholders starting this July.
