--- description: The recall is related to older vehicles that use Takata airbags that can explode and shoop sharp metal fragments. title: Toyota Recalls over 50,000 Vehicles Over Deadly Airbag Fears image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1cee07ce4345d08a/698a4442457a5272a2d6859d/toyota-recall.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [Business](/section/business/) ## Business Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [Automobiles](/tag/automobiles/) ## Automobiles Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # 'Do Not Drive': Toyota Recalls Thousands of Vehicles Over Deadly Airbag Fears by [Anna Gordon](/author/anna-gordon/) ## Anna Gordon Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Gordon was a reporter for TIME, based in the London bureau. Jan 30, 2024 1:57 PM CUT  A Toyota logo is seen at a car dealership in San Jose, California, United States on Tuesday, November 19, 2019. A Toyota logo is seen at a car dealership in San Jose, California, United States on Tuesday, November 19, 2019.Yichuan Cao–NurPhoto/Getty Images by [Anna Gordon](/author/anna-gordon/) ## Anna Gordon Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Gordon was a reporter for TIME, based in the London bureau. Jan 30, 2024 1:57 PM CUT On Tuesday, Toyota issued a “do not drive” advisory for 2003-2004 Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix, and model year 2004-2005 RAV4 vehicles because of their use of Takata airbags that could explode and kill them. This comes after a much bigger recall was announced in December, impacting [1.12 million vehicles](https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyota-recalls-1-million-us-vehicles-over-sensor-that-could-short-circuit-2023-12-20/#:~:text=The%20recall%20covers%202020%20through,%28OCS%29%20sensors%20not%20working. "undefined") also involving vehicle air bags. “If the airbag deploys, a part inside is more likely to explode and shoot sharp metal fragments which could cause SERIOUS INJURY or DEATH,” the Japanese automaker wrote in [its announcement](https://pressroom.toyota.com/toyota-issues-do-not-drive-advisory-for-certain-2003-2005-models-with-recalled-takata-airbags/ "undefined"). Toyota said it will repair or replace the airbags free of charge. In addition to 50,000 vehicles in the U.S., [some 7,300](https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/toyota-takata-recall-2024-1.7098386 "undefined") are being recalled in Canada. Toyota has advised customers not to drive their vehicles to their dealership and that the automaker will offer mobile repair at the vehicle’s location or towing services. If you own an affected vehicle, you can learn more by inputting your vehicle identification number on [Toyota.com/recall](https://www.toyota.com/recall "undefined"). Takata airbags have led to some of the largest recalls in motor vehicle history, impacting over 100 million products and more than 20 automobile manufacturers. The U.S. Department of Transportation says that these airbags have been responsible for [at least 27 deaths and 400 injuries](https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/takata-recall-spotlight#:~:text=NHTSA%20has%20confirmed%20that%2027,exploding%20Takata%20air%20bag%20inflators. "undefined") in the U.S. since they were introduced. ### More From TIME Years of recalls, lawsuits, and a criminal investigation in the U.S. saw Takata [file for bankruptcy](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-40401471 "undefined") in 2017\. Its assets were sold to the Chinese-owned Key Safety Systems. The latest recall comes amid other struggles for Toyota. The Japanese carmaker said on Monday it would [halt shipment](https://fortune.com/asia/2024/01/29/toyota-suspending-shipment-10-vehicle-models-problems-diesel-engine-tests/ "undefined") of various models with diesel engines after learning an affiliate misled Japanese officials over certification tests. The models affected include the Toyota Land Cruiser 300 and Toyota Hilux pick up truck sold in Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as the Toyota Innova sold in Asia, the _Washington Post_ [reported](https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2024/01/30/toyota-airbag-recall-2024/ "undefined"). When asked about the scandals at Toyota’s subsidiaries, the company’s president Koji Sata [cited](https://www.aol.com/news/toyota-warns-50-000-us-021632310.html?guccounter=1 "undefined") workplace pressures and a highly competitive industry. “We recognise that not only people at the testing site but also management did not have proper understanding of certification,” he said. On Tuesday, Toyota reported a [record 11.2 million vehicle sales](https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyota-keeps-crown-worlds-top-selling-automaker-2023-2024-01-30/ "undefined") in 2023\. It remains the world’s top selling automaker. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/6589998/toyota-recalls-over-50000-vehicles-after-deaths-linked-to-airbag-malfunctions/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/6589998/toyota-recalls-over-50000-vehicles-after-deaths-linked-to-airbag-malfunctions/"},"headline":"'Do Not Drive': Toyota Recalls Thousands of Vehicles Over Deadly Airbag Fears","datePublished":"2024-01-30T13:57:06.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T17:02:33.771Z","description":"The recall is related to older vehicles that use Takata airbags that can explode and shoop sharp metal fragments.","url":"https://time.com/6589998/toyota-recalls-over-50000-vehicles-after-deaths-linked-to-airbag-malfunctions/","keywords":["Automobiles","News Desk"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1cee07ce4345d08a/698a4442457a5272a2d6859d/toyota-recall.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Anna Gordon","jobTitle":"Gordon was a reporter for TIME, based in the London bureau.","url":"https://time.com/author/anna-gordon/"}],"articleSection":"Business","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt1cee07ce4345d08a/698a4442457a5272a2d6859d/toyota-recall.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Toyota Company Logo","caption":"Toyota Recall","creditText":"Yichuan Cao–NurPhoto/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/business/","name":"Business"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"/tag/automobiles/","name":"Automobiles"}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/6589998/toyota-recalls-over-50000-vehicles-after-deaths-linked-to-airbag-malfunctions/","name":"'Do Not Drive': Toyota Recalls Thousands of Vehicles Over Deadly Airbag Fears"}}]},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Ford Recalls 113,000 F-150 Trucks. Here’s Why.","description":"The Ford Motor Company issued a recall for the 2021 to 2023 models of its popular F-150 trucks because of the chance for parts of rear axle hubs to wear, break, and potentially cause crashes.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/7W3i3Dvr/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2024-01-04T17:35:10.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/7W3i3Dvr.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/6589998/toyota-recalls-over-50000-vehicles-after-deaths-linked-to-airbag-malfunctions/","duration":"PT1M13S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/6589998/toyota-recalls-over-50000-vehicles-after-deaths-linked-to-airbag-malfunctions/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}}] ```