A wide variety of Toyota and Lexus vehicles from the 2023 model year are all subject to a recall campaign relating to the driver-side airbag. The fault stems from a production error in the wiring loom attaching the steering wheel to the vehicle.
Toyota first became aware of a defect in May 2023, when its supplier alerted it to a production issue it had experienced. The problem came from contamination in the washing station of certain parts that ultimately led to poor welding in the “Flexible Flat Cable” (FFC).
Toyota ran tests to determine the consequences of this issue and found that weld separation in the FFC can lead it to detach, and cause the driver-side airbag to become disconnected. That means that any vehicles affected by this issue do not meet Department of Transportation regulations.
Read: Faulty Airbags Found In 2022 And 2023 Audi Q4 E-Tron Models
More alarmingly, it could mean that the driver’s airbag does not deploy in the event of a collision. That has obvious impacts on safety, increasing the risk of an injury or death in an accident.
Fortunately, if the FFC becomes detached from the cable’s bus bar, a warning light in the vehicle would illuminate to inform the driver of the issue, which affects 110,047 units. Impacted models include the Toyota Corolla, Corolla Cross, Corolla Cross Hybrid, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, and Tacoma, in addition to the Lexus RX350, RX350 Hybrid, RX500 Hybrid, NX250, NX350, and the NX350 Hybrid.
In order to address the problem, Toyota will start reaching out to customers of affected vehicles on August 27. They will be asked to return their vehicles to a nearby dealer, where a technician will inspect the Spiral Cable Assembly. If necessary, the unit will be replaced, at no cost to the owner.
