Body, Interior & Misc.
A short circuit may cause the air bags to become disabled or inadvertently deploy. An inadvertent airbag deployment can increase the risk of injury or the possibility of a crash. An inoperative airbag can increase the risk of injury in a severe crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort and can increase the risk of a crash at low speeds.
As part of normal operation of the air conditioning system, condensation will accumulate in the condenser housing behind the dashboard. A drain is incorporated so that excess water can drain out. This drain hose can become plugged, the accumulated water can leak onto the airbag control module. This can result in an electrical short in the control module. If this were to occur the airbags could become disabled or deploy unexpectedly. Improper airbag operation increases the risk of personal injury and/or a crash. The power steering assist could also become inoperable resulting in increased steering effort. Dealers will seal the air conditioning condenser housing and install a protective cover on the airbag control module to correct this concern.
As of this writing, Toyota has not released a notification schedule for this recall. If you feel your vehicle should be included, please contact your dealer for further instruction. They may ask for your vehicle identification number (VIN), so please have it handy when you call.