Toyota Announces Recall Of 750K Corollas & 270K Lexus IS Vehicles

Toyota doubled on its recall announcements today, issuing two separate recalls totaling more than 1 million vehicles in the U.S.

TOYOTA COROLLA & COROLLA MATRIX
The larger of the two recalls involves approximately 752,000 Toyota Corolla and Corolla Matric vehicles, model years 2003 and 2004.

According to the car maker, the airbag control module for the supplemental restraint system in the affected vehicles could have been manufactured with integrated circuits that are susceptible to internal shorting.

If that short occurs, it could result in increased heat and damage to the circuit. If that happens, there’s the chance for inadvertent deployment of airbags and/or seat belt pretensioners.

The AP reports that Toyota had initially stated that there were no accidents related to this recall, but has since changed that claim. It now says it knows of two crashes that were involved with the inadvertent airbag deployment.

Additionally, Toyota confirmed 46 reports of airbag problems from North American customers, including 18 cases in the U.S. of abrasion-type injuries.

LEXUS IS
Today’s second recall involves 270,000 Lexus IS vehicles, model years 2006 through 2012. Toyota says that the front wipers on these cars might have a wiper arm nut that is not sufficiently tightened. So when the wiper has to push more than rain off the window — say, a windshield covered in snow — one or both of the wipers could become inoperative.

The car maker knows of 25 incidents involved in the wiper recall.

The company says it will be notifying owners of affected vehicles in the near future. Recalled vehicles can be repaired, free of charge, at any authorized Toyota or Lexus dealer.

For more info, you can call the Toyota Customer Experience Center at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus Customer Satisfaction at 1-800-255-3987.

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