The defect
Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 1998-2000 RAV4, 1998-1999 RAV4 EV and Celica and 1997-1998 Supra vehicles. These vehicles were equipped with Non-Azide Driver air bag Inflators (NADI) and do not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Due to a manufacturing issue, the NADI inflators may absorb moisture, causing the inflators to rupture or the air bag cushion to underinflate.
The risk
In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, an inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants. An underinflated air bag may not properly protect the occupant, and increases the risk of serious injury or death.
The remedy
Toyota will notify owners, and owners will have the option to self-inspect, or have a dealer inspect the steering wheel on their vehicle to determine if their vehicle may be equipped with an affected inflator. Potentially affected steering wheel serial numbers will be inspected by a dealer. Based on the inspection, dealers will replace the front driver air bag inflator with an alternate one, as necessary. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began August 28, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's numbers for this recall is 20TB01 and 20TA01.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by ODI
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Toyota Celica | 1998, 1999 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 1998, 1999, 2000 |
| Toyota Supra | 1997, 1998 |
Components: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Celica | 1998 | 5 | 1 |
| Toyota Celica | 1999 | 10 | 1 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 1998 | 77 | 4 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 1999 | 62 | 4 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 2000 | 30 | 3 |
| Toyota Supra | 1997 | 1 | 1 |
| Toyota Supra | 1998 | 1 | 1 |
Other air bags recalls in 2020
45 of the 782 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2020 concerned the air bags; Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing filed 245 campaigns in all.
| 20V791000 17 Dec 2020 | Ford Motor Company |
| 20V785000 16 Dec 2020 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| 20V749000 2 Dec 2020 | Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. |
| 20V747000 1 Dec 2020 | Nissan North America, Inc. |
| 20V736000 25 Nov 2020 | General Motors LLC |
| 20V734000 25 Nov 2020 | Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing |
| 20V681000 4 Nov 2020 | Volvo Car USA LLC |
| 20V628000 9 Oct 2020 | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2020