UMW Toyota Extends Takata Airbag Recall. 2010 – 2012 Vios, Alphard, Altis, Yaris Affected

UMW Toyota Motor Sdn Bhd (UMWT) today announced a recall to replace the Takata front passenger side airbag inflator modules for a few models sold in Malaysia.

The affected models include 42,000 units of Toyota Corolla Altis, Vios, Yaris and Alphard manufactured between May 2010 and December 2012 and distributed by UMWT.

According to UMWT, this recall is an expansion of earlier campaigns by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) relating to certain vehicles equipped with airbag inflator modules.

The defect is due to propellant degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures and high temperature cycling.

Inflator modules which contain a non-desiccated, phase stabilized ammonium nitrate propellant may cause the rupture of the module. Should such a situation occur, metal fragments will pass through the airbag as it inflates and into the vehicle interior at high speed. As a result, serious injury or death could occur.

It is said that Toyota, which is currently working on obtaining the necessary parts for the recall exercise, will notify owners to request them to bring their cars to an authorised Toyota service centre to make the necessary replacements once the parts are available.

UMWT added that the replacement process should take about 1 to 3 hours and that all costs involved for the replacement will be borne by the company.

Owners can visit Toyota’s Special Service Campaign website to check whether their vehicle is involved, through Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Checker. To those who have uploaded the Toyota Drive Apps, there is also a link to Toyota’s SSC page and the VIN Checker.