Toyota has called for review of 3.4 million vehicles due to a new problem with the airbags that protect the occupants in the event of an accident.
The withdrawal will be carried out after a fatal accident in which the airbags were not deployed , including 2.9 million vehicles in the United States, specifically the Corolla 2011-2019, Matrix 2011-2013, Avalon 2012-2018 and Avalon Hybrid 2013-2018 .
Toyota said Tuesday in a statement that the problem has to do with an electronic control unit designed to obtain signals from the shock sensors, in order to deploy the airbags and tighten the seat belts. The company believes that the defect is that it does not react to certain "electrical noises that may occur in certain shocks."
In April, the Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said it had identified two frontal crashes with Toyota Corolla cars, including one in which a death occurred, "which involves Toyota products that are suspected of being suspected. (electrical overload) as the probable cause "of the airbags not being deployed.
To resolve the defect, Toyota dealers will install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its cable harness if necessary.
Toyota has declined to report how many deaths or injuries have been linked to the defect. The company will notify vehicle owners directly about the recall in mid-March.
The problem with airbags also affects other car manufacturers.
In April 2019, the NHTSA issued a withdrawal order for 12.3 million potentially defective airbags - which were not deployed during accidents - installed from 2010 to 2019 in Toyota , Fiat Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, Kia and Mitsubishi vehicles .
They were equipped with a control unit produced by TRW Automotive Holdings Corp, which is now owned by ZF Friedrichshafen.
In total, the NHTSA said that up to eight deaths could be related to this problem.
The review announced Tuesday by Toyota also follows those already made public on January 10, which affected 1.3 million vehicles in the United States, to replace airbags of the Japanese manufacturer Takata.
The models affected in this case are some units of Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Matrix, Sienna, Scion XB; and the Lexus ES 350, GX 460, IS 250C, IS 350C, IS 250, IS 350 and IS-F.
Takata went bankrupt in 2017 for its problems with airbags produced in Mexico using a gas that causes the device to explode at the time of activation.
Check this website if your Toyota vehicle is subject to revision.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4eks8GuWD8
(Edited by Ivette Leyva)