Airbag threat: The Japanese automotive major Toyota Motor has urged owners of 50,000 older vehicles in the United States to get immediate recall repairs, as a result of a potential explosion threat due to the presence of faulty air bag inflators.

The Japanese automaker said the "Do Not Drive" advisory covers some 2003-2004 model year Corolla, 2003-2004 Corolla Matrix, and 2004-2005 RAV4s model equipped with Takata air bag inflators.

Takata-linked incidents

More than 30 deaths globally and hundreds of injuries in various automakers' vehicles since 2009 are linked to the Takata Corporation's, a Japanese automotive parts manufacturer's, air bag inflators. An explosion of these air bags would release metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks.

Over the last decade, more than 67 million Takata air bag inflators have been recalled in the United States by more than 20 automakers, and more than 100 million inflators worldwide, according to an National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) statement.

Toyota informed that the RAV4 recall involves the driver's airbag, while the other recalls involve the front passenger airbag only.

There are certain Corolla and Corolla Matrix models that are also involved in a second recall that can cause the airbag to deploy without a crash.

There have been prior "Do Not Drive" warnings issued by other automakers for vehicles with older Takata air bag inflators after fatal crashes, it said.

In July, the multinational automaker Stellantis warned 29,000 owners of 2003 Dodge Ram pickups to immediately stop driving pending repairs after an individual was killed after a Takata air-bag inflator exploded.

In November 2022, Stellantis urged owners of 2,76,000 other older US vehicles to immediately stop driving after three other crash deaths tied to faulty Takata air bag inflators were reported that year.

A leading two-wheeler producer Honda Motor in February last year issued a "Do Not Drive" warning for 8,200 Acura and Honda vehicles after the death of the driver of a 2002 Accord in Bowling Green, Kentucky from the same air bag inflator, according to media reports.

The company has reported 17 deaths in and more than 200 injuries in the US related to Takata inflator ruptures.