Toyota tells US dealers to disclose future Takata recalls

Washington: Toyota Motor Corp said yesterday it had told its U.S. dealers to disclose, at the time of sale, the identity of vehicles with defective Takata air bag inflators that will be subject to recalls by 2018.

After criticism by members of Congress, the automaker made public a list of vehicles with inflators subject to future recalls. They include the 2016 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX460 still in production. Dealers may also have in stock new 2015 Lexus IS250C/350C and Scion xB, and the 2015 Lexus GX460 and Toyota 4Runner, the company said.

Takata inflators can explode with excessive force and spray metal shrapnel. 

Last month, Takata agreed to declare as defective, by 2019, another 35 million to 40 m U.S. inflators that lack drying agents in frontal airbags. To date 15 automakers have announced recalls of 16.4 m vehicles and worldwide nearly 100 m inflators have been declared defective.

This week, Senator Bill Nelson, a Florida Democrat, urged automakers to fix the vehicles before sale or at a minimum disclose the issue before people buy cars.

Nelson called it “a positive step for consumers. While I still think automakers shouldn’t be selling vehicles with defective airbags, at the very least car buyers should know they’re purchasing a vehicle that will be subject to a future recall.” (Reuters)