GM and Toyota ask some owners to stop driving their vehicles
News from the United States affects some vehicle owners Toyota and General Motors aged over 20 years. In fact, the two manufacturers are asking owners of approximately 61,000 Corolla, RAV4, Matrix/Pontiac Vibe models to stop driving their vehicles. According to the manufacturers, Takata brand airbags may explode and spray fragments at any time.
Not to be taken lightly
This announcement, launched at the beginning of the week, should not be taken lightly according to the press release sent by Toyota: “If the cushion deploys, a part inside is more likely to burst and project sharp steel fragments, which could cause serious injury or death to the driver or passengers. »
Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate the cushions in the event of an accident. According to the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), the chemical propellant that triggers the sequence could deteriorate over time. When exposed to high temperatures and humidity, it could jump with too much force, causing a metal cartridge to explode and spew shrapnel.
The vehicles affected by the problem are the 2003 and 2004 Toyota Corolla and Matrix as well as the 2004 and 2005 Toyota RAV4. Since Toyota was working in conjunction with Pontiac at that time, the 2003 and 2004 Pontiac Vibe are also affected by the problem. situation. According to Toyota, the link between the products lies in the place where they were manufactured. It is exclusively the models manufactured in Toyota’s Californian factory that will be affected by a possible recall. This also means that the vehicles, for the most part, are located in the United States.
Driver and passenger depending on model
The airbags targeted by this announcement are not located in the same location from one vehicle to another. The recalled Toyota RAV4s are equipped with Takata driver airbags, while the Corolla, Matrix and Vibe models are equipped with passenger side airbags.
The situation is so important in the eyes of the manufacturers that they are asking the owners involved not to drive their car to an authorized dealership. Dealerships will offer options like mobile repair, car towing, or vehicle pickup and delivery.
At the moment, information from across the border states that 61,000 vehicles are affected by this traffic stop. It is impossible to know how many copies in Canada will be affected, but the news should not take long to arrive from Transport Canada.
