Warning for Toyota and Lexus owners in South Africa

Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) has put out a renewed call for motorists to check if their cars are affected by the Takata Airbag Recall campaign.

This is not a new recall, as the Takata airbag scandal broke all the way back in 2015, affecting multiple automakers and an estimated 100 million vehicles worldwide, making it the single largest vehicle-related product recall in history.

However, several local manufacturers have noted that there tends to be a lax attitude towards vehicle recalls in South Africa, with many not taking the risks seriously.

While undeniably inconvenient, vehicle recalls of this nature are meant to protect motorists against dangerous mechanical issues that could lead to serious bodily harm.

In light of this, Toyota is launching a new safety campaign in South Africa called “Don’t Risk It, Fix it,” which is an initiative meant to reach out to car owners who have not responded to the company’s previous warnings.

The Japanese automaker noted that the following cars are affected across its Toyota, Lexus, and Hino brands in South Africa:

• 2002-2017: Corolla
• 2003-2005: RAV4
• 2005-2015: Fortuner
• 2004-2015: Hilux
• 2005-2017: Yaris
• 2006-2008: Toyota Avensis
• 2007-2013: Auris
• 2002-2007: RunX
• 2006-2012: Lexus IS
• 2008: Lexus SC
• 2016: Lexus RX
• 2011-2017: Hino 300 Series

The Takata airbags in these vehicles were identified to have a flaw with the chemical used as a propellant to inflate the bags in an accident.

They used ammonium nitrate, which can become unstable in hot and humid conditions, causing the chemical to degrade, become unstable, and potentially rupture the airbag housing, spraying metal fragments at occupants.

These airbags were linked to more than 30 deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide, which led to the recall.

Despite the risk, TSAM highlighted that 39% of its affected vehicles have still not been taken in to have the dangerous components replaced.

“We are calling on all communities to Don’t Risk It, Fix It,” said TSAM CEO Andrew Kirby.

“This not a new recall, it is an enhanced campaign to ensure that every affected vehicle is accounted for and repaired. Our goal is to remove any existing barriers to continuous action and to make it as easy as possible for owners to get their vehicles fixed – at no cost to them.”

How to check if your vehicle is affected

TSAM explained that the campaign will consist of four key features:

1. Reissuing notifications to owners of unrepaired vehicles.
2. Free safety inspections and repairs in partnership with Toyota’s Dealership Network and service centers for convenient repair access.
3. Community-based events to raise awareness.
4. Multilingual outreach to ensure inclusiveness and accessibility across all communities.

Toyota, Lexus, and Hino customers are also encouraged to check if their vehicles are affected using one of several free-to-use tools.

Motorists can contact the Toyota Call Centre on 0800 139 111 and provide their car’s VIN number.

Anyone who needs to check their VIN number can visit the following resources:

• Toyota: toyota.co.za/takatarecall
• Lexus: lexus.co.za/takatarecall
• Hino: hino.co.za/takatarecall

Alternatively, owners can use the MyToyota, My Lexus and Hino-Connect smartphone apps to check their vehicle’s status.

“Toyota’s ongoing commitment to manufacturing safe and reliable vehicles remains a key priority. To this effect we will do everything in our power to safeguard the safety of our customers and that of other road users alike,” said Kirby.

“I encourage all our customers to heed the call for this proactive safety critical measure with urgency. Additionally, we ask for all stakeholder’s support to help us reach our 100% target.”