Toyota recalls over 7,100 Corollas in India to replace passenger side airbag

Toyota Kirloskar Motor has recalled over 7,100 units of its Corolla sedan manufactured between April 2007 till June 2008 and also a few cars produced between June 2008 and July 2008. It is understood that the recall is to inspect and replace the defective passenger side airbag. Takata is reportedly said to be the airbag supplier. Toyota dealers will inform the concerned customers in due course.

The India market recall is part of Toyota's global recall issued on June 16 for another 2.86 million vehicles across 24 models produced between April 2003 and December 2008, including 1.729 million in Europe, 360,000 in Japan and 190,000 in China to replace potentially deadly passenger-side airbag inflators.

A Toyota Kirloskar Motor statement issued yesterday says, “No complaints have been received in India so far and this campaign has been extended in line with Toyota’s global practices.”

Since the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers' (SIAM) Voluntary Code on Vehicle Recall came into effect on July 2, 2012, Toyota Kirloskar Motor has till now recalled a total of 67,972 cars till now in India. Along with the latest recall, it includes 1,904 Camrys and 6,782 Corolla Altis sedans in October 2012 (to replace the power window master switch); 1,077 Corolls Altis (Diesel) cars (to fix the front right driveshaft coming off from the inboard joint resulting in loss of drive, in May 2013); 167 Prius Hybrids (to fix a software error in the hybrid system that makes it enter a fail-safe mode, in February 2014); 44,989 Innovas (to rectify a fault in the cable mounted in the steering wheel, in April 2014); 119 Camrys (for a defect in the front suspension, in November 2014,) and 5,834 Corolla Altis Diesel (for defect causing engine oil to enter air-intake system, in November 2014).

In the three years since SIAM's Voluntary Code on Vehicle Recall, the total number of vehicle recalls have crossed the one-million mark. These recalls were made by 16 OEMs – eleven four-wheeler OEMs and five two-wheeler manufacturers. 

Also read: Vehicle recalls in India cross the one-million mark