Takata Airbag Recall Info from Consumer Reports

As a public service, Consumer Reports has recently published a good summary of the Takata airbag recall situation:
Everything You Need to Know About the Takata Airbag Recall - Consumer Reports News

The good news is that very few hybrid models and no plug-in models are impacted so far. Toyota apparently did not use the recall airbags in Prius, Camry, nor Avalon hybrids. The bad new is that some Toyota models (see below non-hybrids) are impacted and may require immediate action in certain hot/humid states.

Re: Hybrids/Alt-Fuels Cars
2003-2005 Honda Civic hybrid is apparently the only hybrid model impacted, also the 2003-2004 Honda Civic CNG is impacted. Accord hybrid seems to be OK according to the Honda website look-up tool below:
Recall Information for Safety & Defects | Honda Owners Site

Re: Toyota Non-Hybrids
Attention to owners of 2002-2007 Corolla, Sequoia, 2003-2007 Matrix, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2002-2005 Lexus SC. Immediate action may be recommended if your vehicle registered in the coastal areas around the Gulf of Mexico, including Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Or if the car is in Florida, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Virgin Islands and Hawaii.

Toyota will replace the front passenger airbag. If the part is not available, the dealership can disable the front passenger airbag until a replacement part is available, and then recommends that the front passenger seat not be occupied. Toyota also says that if you do not follow the instructions in the owner letter to have the work performed, then you should not drive your vehicle.

Apparently Toyota use of the Takata airbag was restricted to the passenger side of impacted vehicles, but we must presume the driver is still at risk in the event of an explosive malfunction.

 

I think these are the new Toyota/Takata related recalls (no Prius)

THE MODELS: 2009 -2011 Toyota Corolla and Matrix; 2006-2011 Toyota Yaris; 2010-2011 Toyota 4Runner; 2011 Toyota Sienna; 2008-2011 Scion xB; 2007-2011 Lexus ES; 2010-2011 Lexus GX; 2006-2011 Lexus IS.

Toyota Adding 1.6 Million Vehicles to Takata Air Bag Recall | NBC4 Washington

Wonder if any more coming though? this is through 2011.

>looks like Consumer Reports keeps updating their article Link in my OP, so the new models are already listed.

 

Why not have Toyota disable the pass. airbag until a replacement is available? I am not sure it is safe just because it is the passenger position. Consumer Reports wording is confusing re: Toyota policy but I think they are saying Step (1) disable airbag and then Step (2) allow no passenger due to lack of air bag.

 

...gotcha perhaps that is true..not sure what the electronic logic is.

 

Holy cow! Chat men (and Chat women):

>>Just heard a report on WTOP radio that Toyota (+VW and few others) still using Takata air bags in some models through 2017. The "law" says they can be used until 2018.

 

Yes it has been since at least 2009 that the problems were known with Takata, but I guess it has only been relatively recently - last year or so - that the root cause (use of ammonium nitrate propellant) was specified. Previously the root cause was thought to be manufacturing defect.

Remember the 1970's and 1980's when the autos fought air bags so hard? These were some of the problems they talked about then.