Toyota owners in Texas may be interested in a recent recall. The automaker has announced that it is recalling 803,000 cars in the United States due to a problem that could cause airbags to malfunction. The affected models include the 2012 and 2013 Venza, Camry, Camry Hybrids, Avalon, and Avalon Hybrids. The recall announcement coincided with the day that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reopened after the government shutdown.
According to media sources, an issue with the housing for the air-conditioning condenser units in the recalled vehicles could cause the airbags to open inadvertently or fail completely. When water from the condenser drips from the housing, it could leak onto the airbag control module. As a result, the unit could short circuit, causing airbag warning lights turn on and the airbags to either fail or deploy without cause or warning.
The automaker also says that in some instances power steering is also affected by the condenser unit issue. Because it takes increased effort to control the wheel of a vehicle without power steering, Toyota warns that the loss of power steering while driving could be dangerous.
Toyota indicates that the problem is easily repaired and that repairs are expected to prevent further issues. Toyota owners are being asked to take their affected vehicles to their Toyota dealership to have the repair performed at no cost.
Motorists in Texas might be aware that if they are injured in an accident due to the negligence of another driver, they could seek compensation for losses through a civil court proceeding. However, some crashes are caused by defective auto parts. An Austin product liability attorney at The Stewart Law Firm, PLLC could help clients who have been injured by a defective auto product determine liability and file a claim.
