Toyota Recalls Lexus and Prius Vehicles for Airbag Failure Risk

Toyota has issued a recall for 49,000 Prius and Lexus vehicles due to an electrical problem that can prevent the airbags from deploying during a crash. According to Toyota, the issue affects the 2016 Prius, 2016 Lexus RX and the 2015-2016 Lexus NX crossover vehicles. The airbag systems in these vehicles may develop an open circuit. As a result, the airbag warning light may turn on and the front, side and curtain shield airbags may fail to deploy.

Toyota will send recall notices to vehicle owners in late March. During this time, Toyota and Lexus dealerships will check and fix vehicles that have the defect. Toyota has not commented on whether the defect has caused any injuries or deaths.

What If My Vehicle is Recalled?

You can check on the recall status of your vehicle by using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website. To check your vehicle’s recall status, you will need to find its vehicle identification number (VIN). There are a few places where you may find this number. You may find the VIN on your car insurance policy card or on paperwork sent by your insurance provider. It may also be found near the driver’s side dashboard. Once you have the VIN, enter it into NHTSA’s search tool. The website may inform you of any unfixed recalls within the past 15 years.

The good news is that recall repairs do not cost money. Manufacturers and their dealerships are required by law to fix your vehicle at no cost. If you owned a Toyota, then your nearest Toyota dealership would conduct the repairs. Just make sure they have the parts to conduct repairs beforehand. Depending on the type of recall, it could take days, weeks or months to finish repairs on your vehicle. You could inquire about securing a loaner vehicle until the repairs are completed.

Harmed by a Defective Auto Part?

If you or a loved one were harmed by a defective auto product, then we encourage you to speak with one of the Washington DC product liability lawyers at Regan Zambri Long PLLC. Our attorneys could review your situation at no cost. We could help you determine whether could file a lawsuit against auto manufacturer or other parties.