Toyota Recalls a Massive Number of Vehicles for a Very Ironic Problem (and an Airbag Defect)

Nov 28, 2023

Toyota will recall a total of 3.37 million vehicles to resolve two safety-related issues, one of which involves an environmental control that can quickly become very bad for the environment.

The largest of the two recalls concerns faulty side curtain airbags that could partially inflate without warning, according to the Associated Press. The issue isn't related to the Takata airbag recall — rather, the problem stems from small cracks in some driver and passenger side airbag inflators, which can widen over time and lead to the partial inflation of the side curtain.

Some 1.43 million vehicles are being recalled for the defect, 495,000 of them in North America. Models affected are Toyota Prius, Prius plug-in, and Lexus CT200h vehicles manufactured between October 2008 and April 2012.

Those same hybrids, as well as the Lexus HS250h, Toyota Corolla and a handful of overseas models, are also involved in the second recall. That recall stems from cracks that can form in the coating of the vehicle's emissions control canister, potentially causing a fuel leak.

The gasoline-leaking hybrids were built between April 2006 and August 2015. A total of 2.87 million vehicles are being recalled, though none of them were sold in the U.S. No injuries have been reported as a result of faulty airbags or leaking fuel.

According to Bloomberg, Toyota plans to spend an extra $1.47 billion this year to deal with quality-related expenses. The added expense doesn't help the company's finances — Toyota estimates that its operating income could drop by 40 percent this year.

Well its clear this is sabotage, Toyotas NEVER have issues! My 94 3 speed Corolla with 700k eats Mustangs for Breakfast!

It's all a UAW conspiracy!

What about the children?

Toyotas having charcoal canister issues have pretty much been a constant since the 2000ish model year, when they developed very sensitive system to measure and control evap leaks. Basically most Toyota products since will throw one or more expensive CELs pointing to evap valve or entire canister failure by 150k. One of the most unreliable systems on Toyotas and 16 years later it is still the same story. Now however a new OEM canister is close to $650 instead of "only" $350 for a MY '00/01 variant.If only CARB would do something useful for once and supplement the EPA warranty on the component for 10 years/unlimited mileage.I love when someone I know has an emission part fail within 7 years that the stealership tells them will be $1500+, and I get to go down there with them and read them the riot act about the fact that actually the part is covered under federal and more importantly California law, and would they like me to give CARB a call?? Wipes the smug look off their face so fast.

Yeah, they use some pretty expensive evap canisters.

Also, the second-gen Tacomas with the 1GR-FE V6 use an electric secondary air injection pump, that costs $1700 to replace (that's just the part). A third-party outfit sells a bypass kit that fools the ECU into thinking that the pump is there and working. That kit is *only* $400.