Toyota’s North American division is conducting a safety campaign of certain units of the 2016 Prius.
According to the manufacturer, the recall affects approximately 7,600 Prius hybrids equipped with a front passenger airbag that contains stored, compressed gas in the inflator, and a component that could have been improperly welded and/or misassembled.
In extreme cases, the gas may escape without a deployment signal leading to a partial inflation of the airbag. Toyota is aware of some incidents related to this condition and states that “this has been observed when the vehicle is parked and unoccupied for a period of time“, adding that “an airbag that inflates in this manner can, under some circumstances, increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a crash.“
Toyota said it will inform all owners of the affected cars by mail, starting in November, advising them to schedule an appointment with an authorized dealer. The final step will see technicians replace the front passenger airbag assembly with a new one, free of charge.
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