Toyota recalls 1 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles because air bag may not deploy properly

Toyota is recalling roughly 1 million cars in the U.S. because the front passenger air bags may not deploy properly in a crash, posing additional risk of injury to riders, the car maker said Wednesday.

A potential defect in the Occupant Classification System (OCS) sensors in the front passenger seat of affected vehicles could cause a short circuit, Toyota said in a notice posted on its website. As a result, the air bag system may not properly detect the passenger’s presence and weight, and fail to deploy as designed.

The recall affects the following 2020-2022 Toyota and Lexus models:

Toyota

• Avalon, Avalon Hybrid — 2020-2021
• Camry, Camry Hybrid — 2020-2021
• Corolla — 2020-2021
• Highlander, Highlander Hybrid — 2020-2021
• RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid — 2020-2021
• Sienna Hybrid — 2021

Lexus

• ES250 — 2021
• ES300H — 2020-2022
• ES350 — 2020-2021
• RX350 — 2020-2021
• RX450H — 2020-2021

As a remedy, Toyota and Lexus dealers will inspect affected vehicles for free and replace OCS sensors if necessary at no cost to vehicle owners, the recall notice states. Toyota said it will notify owners of all vehicles involved in the recall by the middle of February 2024.

To see if your vehicle is part of the safety recall, enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) or license plate information at Toyota.com/recall or nhtsa.gov/recalls.

For additional information on Toyota vehicles, customers can contact the Toyota Brand Engagement Center at (800) 331-4331. Addition information for Lexus vehicles is available by calling the Lexus Brand Engagement Center at (800) 255-3987.

It is the third major recall for Toyota in recent months. In November, the company recalled 1.9 million RAV4 sport utility vehicles in the U.S. because the batteries can shift during sharp turns and potentially cause a fire.

Toyota on Oct. 26 also recalled roughly 751,000 Toyota Highlander SUVs in the U.S. to fix a problem with the tabs that secure the vehicles’ front lower bumper covers. Even a minor crash could cause the bumper cover assembly to fall off, a potential hazard to drivers, the company said.

—The Associated Press contributed to this report.