Recall Alert! Do you drive a Toyota Camry, Avalon or Venza car? A consumer safety recall has been issued for over 800,000 of these Toyota models, with concerns raised over the vehicles’ airbags and power steering. A leaky air conditioning unit in 2012 and 2013 Camry, Avalon and Venza Toyotas can affect these systems and pose a serious safety hazard.
Owners of the recalled vehicles will be contacted directly by Toyota, but until you receive a notification about your car, here’s everything you need to know about this Camry, Avalon and Venza recall:
Airbag Unit Short-Circuit Results in Injuries
Toyota remains one of the best-selling automakers in the US despite safety recalls.
Despite remaining one of the nation’s most popular automakers, Toyota’s reputation seems to be frequently tarnished by safety recalls.
Within the past month alone, reports NBC News, Toyota has recalled nearly 1.5 million cars over a variety of mechanical issues and problems. This latest recall announcement has reportedly led to two “minor injuries” but no accidents.
Affected vehicles include 2012 and 2013 Camry sedans and hybrids, the full-sized Avalon sedan and Avalon hybrid, and the Venza crossover. Approximately 885,000 Toyota vehicles are being recalled world-wide, with an estimated 803,000 cars sold in the United States.
Due to possible leaking from the car’s air conditioning condenser unit, the airbag warning lights can short-circuit and cause the airbags to deploy inadvertently — or become disabled and fail to deploy in the case of an accident. As NBC News explains:
Toyota said the problem is due to water leaking out from the air conditioning condenser unit onto the airbag control module. The leak could also result in additional problems, potentially causing a short circuit that would disable the power-steering system. In this case, it could become difficult to turn a vehicle, especially at lower speeds.
The air conditioning leak could also disable the vehicle’s power-steering, which can affect the driver’s ability to control the car at lower speeds.
Is this your car? 2012 and 2013 Camry hybrid sedans are among the Toyota models affected by the latest recall announcement.
If You Drive a 2012 or 2013 Toyota Camry, Venza or Avalon
If you own one of the cars affected by this recall announcement, watch your mailbox for an official notification from Toyota with instructions to get your car repaired. Toyota dealerships around the nation will be fixing the issue at no charge to consumers.
The repair involves applying a sealant and a new cover to the air conditioning unit to prevent any moisture leaking onto the airbag control module or other on-board electronics.
If you’re currently experiencing any problems with your airbag warning lights or your car’s power-steering, we recommend contacting your local Toyota dealer directly for more information.
See Also
Consumer Safety Alert: Government Shutdown Also Halts Car Recalls, Vehicle Inspections
Chrysler Recalls Over 200,000 US Vehicles Including Dodge and Jeep Models
Huge Subaru Recall Prompted by Brake Issue: Is Your Car Unsafe?
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