Toyota India to recall 23,000 units of Corolla Altis sedan

 

Toyota said it was recalling a total of about 2.9 million vehicles in Japan, China, Oceania and other regions due to potentially faulty airbag inflators.

 

So part of the recall also includes its Indian arm which has announced a recall of 23,000 vehicles of the Toyota Corolla Altis sedan. The cars involved in the recall belong to years 2010-2012 manufacturing date. 

 

 

The faulty airbags built by Takata have caused close to 16 deaths. The airbags can potentially rupture explosively when deployed in a collision, spraying metal shrapnel at drivers as well as passengers.

 

 

The replacement airbag inflator takes 2.5 to 5 hours to install and car manufacturers will replace them free of charge. The airbags, made by major parts supplier Takata, were mostly installed in cars from model year 2002 through 2015.

 

At the heart of the problem is the airbag’s inflator, a metal cartridge loaded with propellant wafers, which in some cases has ignited with explosive force. If the inflator housing ruptures in a crash, metal shards from the airbag can be sprayed throughout the passenger cabin—a potentially disastrous outcome from a supposedly life-saving device.

 

 

Ford, Hyundai Audi, BMW, General Motors, Jaguar/Land Rover, and Mercedes-Benz have been among the cars that have issued recalls in the past because of the same issue.

 

How to find out if your car is affected?

Automakers are being proactive on this issue and will call you if your car makes it to the recall list. Some companies have listed the dos and don’ts in case of recall for customers on their website. Or, you can go to the government's Takata page and use your vehicle identification number, VIN, found in the lower driver-side corner of the windshield, as well as on your registration and insurance documents to see whether it matches the record.

 

Is disabling an option?

No. Driving without airbags is an even more dangerous option and it goes against the Motor Vehicle Rules of the country.