It seems that problems surrounding the faulty airbag inflators manufactured by Takata will not end anytime soon. Owing to faulty inflator units in their airbags, Toyota has announced recall for around 2.9 million vehicles in Japan, China, Oceania and other regions, including India, where nearly 23,000 units of the Corolla Altis sedan have been affected. Owners of the affected vehicles will be contacted soon and replacement of the faulty inflators will be done free-of-cost. The affected car models in India were manufactured between 2010 and 2012.
Globally, transport authorities consider Takata inflators, containing the chemical compound ammonium nitrate to be risky, especially if it is employed without a drying agent. This has resulted in withdrawal of all 100 million airbags in the market. A total of 1.16 million vehicles will be recalled in the markets of Oceania and Middle East combined, while atleast 750,000 units have been called back from the Japanese market.
Toyota’s recall will be conducted in a phased manner and the affected Corolla Altis owners will be contacted in the days to come. Toyota recently launched the 2017 Corolla Altis with fresh cosmetic upgrades to the interior and exterior. The vehicle continues to be powered by 1.8-litre petrol and 1.4-litre diesel engine options. The Corolla Altis is priced at Rs 15.87 lakh to Rs 19.91 lakh (ex-showroom, Delhi) for the top-spec model.
