Toyota Recalls 308,000 Vehicles To Fix Airbags

Toyota Motor Corp. says it will recall certain 2007 and 2008 RAV4 and 2008 Highlander SUVs sold in the U.S. because of a problem that could cause unwanted airbag deployments.

The flaw stems from the vehicles’ roll-sensing airbag systems that are designed to protect occupants in a rollover crash, reported The Wall Street Journal. Toyota says the roll sensing curtain shield airbag system has two sensors that detect the vehicle’s roll angle. If one of these sensors malfunctions, the airbag warning light illuminates and the roll-detection system stops working. In such cases the airbag will still activate in a side-impact collision, Toyota says.

More troubling is the possibility of the bags deploying inadvertently, which could happen if both sensors fail “nearly simultaneously” after the initial airbag system check.

The company says no other Lexus or Toyota models are involved in this recall and this particular problem involves only vehicles sold in North America. Vehicles in other markets don’t have the roll-sensing airbag system.

Under the recall, which affects about 214,000 RAV4s and 94,000 Highlanders, Toyota dealers will replace the sensor assembly free of charge. The company says the recall will begin next month.