Japanese automakers Toyota Motor Corp. (TM, TYT.L), Honda Motor Co Ltd. (HMC) and Nissan Motor Co Ltd. (NSANY.PK) are reportedly recalling at least 3 million vehicles globally, citing flaws with their airbags that were manufactured by Takata Corp.
Toyota is estimated to have called back 1.73 million vehicles. Toyota Motor Sales, USA, Inc. said it would conduct a safety recall involving about 170,000 front passenger airbag inflators installed in several vehicle models.
According to the U.S. unit, the involved vehicles are equipped with front passenger airbag inflators which could have been assembled with improperly manufactured propellant wafers that could cause the inflator to rupture and the front passenger airbag to deploy abnormally if a crash occurs.
The vehicles involved include certain Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sequoia, and Tundra, and Lexus SC 430 models manufactured from 2001 to 2003.
While more precise vehicle information is being developed, the company noted that about 510,000 vehicles may have to be inspected to locate the suspect inflators.
Owners of vehicles part of the recall will receive an owner notification letter. The recall remedy will involve inspection of the front passenger air bag. If it is equipped with an affected inflator, it will be replaced with a new one at no extra charge to the owner.
Honda is believed to have recalled 1.14 million vehicles globally. Meanwhile, Honda Canada said it would voluntarily recall around 11,043 Acura 1.7 EL vehicles and about 80,854 Honda Civic vehicles from the 2001-2003 model years.
The unit will also recall 6,140 CR-V vehicles from the 2002-2003 model years and 9,749 Odyssey vehicles from the 2002 model year. The vehicles are being recalled to replace the passenger front airbag inflator.
Toyota climbed 5.8 percent on Thursday in Tokyo to settle a 5,640 yen. Honda climbed 3.1 percent and closed at 3,945 yen while Nissan closed up 4.4 percent at 1,043 yen.
Autoparts maker Takata's shares fell 9 percent to close at 1,819 yen.
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