Recently, Toyota has announced two separate recalls over separate issues, around the same time that they sped up a recall to fully replace Takata airbag inflators. These two recalls affect Land Cruisers, Lexus LX 570’s, and a Tacoma midsize pickup truck.
The first recall stems from the airbag and other related systems. A seatbelt tension sensor has the ability to malfunction over time; when and if this happens, the airbag system may malfunction. This malfunction could result in the warning lights to illuminate, or even deactivate the front passenger airbag, knee airbag, and passenger side airbag. When an airbag malfunctions, the risk of injury in a crash increases.
The vehicles affected by this recall include the 2008-2019 Toyota Land Cruiser and the 2008-2019 Lexus LX 570. Approximately 89,700 models of these vehicles are affected, and Toyota has stated that owners will receive notifications by mid-February.
The other recall affects nearly 44,000 2018-2019 Tacoma midsize pickup trucks due to a brake master cylinder issue. Essentially, a seal in the master cylinder could potentially leak brake fluid. If this does happen, the brake feel could change, causing the front brakes to have reduced performance. Drivers will experience greater stopping distances, which could lead to a crash.
Unlike the previous recall, Toyota does have a solution in place already. Those with recalled vehicles can go to a Toyota dealership and a technician can replace the entire brake master cylinder for free.
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