(Reuters: Published 01/21/2020, Shepardson, David, Web).
Toyota has announced the worldwide recall of 3.4 million automobiles due to the possibility that the airbags in these cars may not deploy during a crash due to an electronic malfunction associated with the airbags. In the United States, the recall covers 2.9 million autos, including 2011-2019 Corolla, 2011-2013 Matrix, 2012-2018 Avalon, 2013-2018 Avalon Hybrid. According to Toyota and to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the vehicles which are the subject of the recall could have a defective electronic control unit, which does permit appropriate protection against electrical noises, and which sometimes occur in motor vehicle crashes. This defect may lead to either the failure of the airbag to deploy or to an incomplete deployment of the airbag. The NHSTA also notes that the defect at issue could impede the proper operation of seat-belt pretensioners.
The NHTSA has identified two head-on crashes, one of them fatal, in which the electronic defect is suspected of being the cause of the injuries and death suffered by the occupants of the vehicles. According to the NHTSA, more than 12 million of the potentially defective airbags were installed by a number of auto manufacturers since 2010 and consumers can check the NHSTA website recall page to see if the recall (or any recall for that matter) applies to their particular car by simply entering your WIN into recall application on its website. You can also contact the manufacturer of your car and/or a dealership for more information. According to the NHTSA, the airbags subject to the recall were equipped with an airbag control unit initially produced by TRW Automotive Holdings Corp, which is now owned by ZF Friedrichshafen. According to Toyota, Toyota dealers will install a noise filter between the airbag control module and its wire harness if needed should it be determined that you have a defective unit.
The lawyers at Liever, Hyman & Potter, P.C., are concerned for the safety of motor vehicle drivers and passengers driving on the roads and highways in Berks County and Schuylkill County and throughout Pennsylvania, including the Philadelphia region, and serve auto, truck, and motorcycle accident victims and their families in Reading, PA, Pottsville, PA, and throughout Eastern and Central Pennsylvania. The attorneys at the firm handle injury claims, including claims for serious injuries or death caused by the negligence of other vehicle operators. The firm also handles medical malpractice cases, workers’ compensation cases, and nursing home neglect cases.
From the desk of Adam K. Levin, Esquire