Toyota recall and deadly airbag risk: What to do if you drive one of these models

Toyota and Lexus have joined Ford and Honda in recalling vehicles to replace the potentially deadly Takata airbag inflators.

Toyota’s recall covers 1.7 million vehicles in North America, including 1.3 million in the U.S. It’s part of the largest series of automotive recalls in the nation’s history, set in place when regulators realized that the chemical reaction that powers Takata’s airbag inflators can degrade and explode, hurling shrapnel into drivers and passengers. At least 23 people have been killed worldwide and hundreds have been injured.

Toyota models included in the recall are the 2010 through 2016 4Runner, the 2010 through 2013 Corolla and Matrix, and the 2011 through 2014 Sienna.
Lexus models that have been recalled include the 2010 through 2012 ES 350, the 2010 through 2017 GX 460, the 2010 through 2015 IS 250C and 350C, the 2010 through 2013 IS 250 and 350 and the 2010 through 2014 IS-F.
Scion XBs from 2010 through 2015 have also been recalled.

One third of the recalled inflators still have not been replaced, according to an annual report from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the AP reports. That means 16.7 million faulty inflators out of 50 million under recall have yet to be fixed, so check your cars.

To see if your vehicle has been recalled, head to https://www.toyota.com/recall or https://www.airbagrecall.com and enter your license plate or vehicle identification number.