Toyota Recalls More than 1 Million Vehicles for Defective Airbags

Toyota has recalled more than 1 million vehicles because they might have defective airbags that inflate even when there is no crash or they might fail to inflate when a crash does occur. According to a news report on Fortune.com, the recall affects Scion xA model vehicles made between 2004 and 2006. Toyota says the problem has to do with an electrical short in the vehicle, which damages circuits that either deactivate the airbags or cause them to deploy.

Owners of the recalled vehicles will be notified about the recall in December. Dealers will replace the airbag control unit in the affected vehicles at no charge to consumers. Last month the company recalled three million Prius hybrids due to a software glitch that could cause the vehicles to crash. That recall represented one of the largest vehicle defect recalls ever for Toyota. Toyota has not disclosed whether this latest recall has resulted in any injuries or crashes.

The Danger of Airbag Defects

When airbags don’t work as intended, the consequences can be devastating. With these affected Toyota Scion vehicles, the airbag could become activated inadvertently or it could fail to deploy during a crash. Both could result in crashes and serious injuries. When an airbag fails to deploy during a crash, vehicle occupants end up suffering blunt-trauma injuries. When an airbag deploys suddenly, the driver of a vehicle could end up crashing the vehicle.

Auto Product Liability Issues

When defects keep airbags from deploying during a violent crash, catastrophic or even fatal injuries might occur. Occupants of the vehicles may suffer traumatic injuries such as brain injury, spinal cord trauma, internal injuries and multiple broken bones. These are all severe injuries that may require lengthy hospitalization and extensive rehabilitation the costs of which could add up very quickly.

In such cases, injured victims would be well advised to preserve the vehicle unaltered so an expert can examine the vehicle for all evidence including manufacturing defects and design flaws. Injured victims can file a product liability claim against the automaker seeking compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost income, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering and emotional distress. An experienced auto defect attorney will be able to advise victims and their families regarding their legal rights and options.

Source: http://fortune.com/2018/11/02/toyota-recalls-1-million-vehicles-air-bag-concerns/