Toyota has issued a recall for approximately 1 million cars in the U.S. due to a potential defect in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors, impacting the front passenger air bags. The defect could result in a short circuit, causing the air bag system to fail in detecting the passenger’s presence and weight, leading to improper deployment in the event of a crash.
The recall affects various 2020-2022 Toyota and Lexus models, including:
Toyota:
- Avalon, Avalon Hybrid — 2020-2021
- Camry, Camry Hybrid — 2020-2021
- Corolla — 2020-2021
- Highlander, Highlander Hybrid — 2020-2021
- RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid — 2020-2021
- Sienna Hybrid — 2021
Lexus:
- ES250 — 2021
- ES300H — 2020-2022
- ES350 — 2020-2021
- RX350 — 2020-2021
- RX450H — 2020-2021
The company stated that Toyota and Lexus dealers will conduct free inspections on affected vehicles and replace OCS sensors if necessary, at no cost to vehicle owners. Toyota aims to notify owners of the recall by mid-February 2024.
This marks Toyota’s third major recall in recent months. In November, the company recalled 1.9 million RAV4 SUVs due to potential battery shifting issues, and in October, around 751,000 Toyota Highlander SUVs were recalled to address problems with the front lower bumper cover tabs, which could pose a hazard in the event of a crash.
