Workers make a final inspection to a new Toyota, Innova at a plant. — Photo AFP

HA NOI (Biz Hub) — Toyota Viet Nam (TMV) said it is preparing to recall 42,772 units of Innova and Fortuner for checking and replacing the spiral cable of driver's airbag. The malfunctioning spiral cable may prevent the airbag from opening in the event of a crash.

The malfunctioning spiral cable may prevent the airbag from opening in the event of a crash. The total number of vehicles that the TMV plans to recall includes 40,241 Innova units produced from Jan 7, 2006, to Jan 19, 2010, and 2,531 Fortuner units produced from Feb 1, 2009, to Jan 19, 2010, the Japanese-invested car maker said in a statement sent to Viet Nam News.

The move follows a global recall of vehicles, due to faulty airbags, by Toyota Motor Corporation (TMC) that effected 3.5 million vehicles produced in North America, Europe, Australia and Japan. Vehicles in Africa, Middle East and Asia were also recalled.

According to the TMC, the driver's airbag module in the vehicles in question contains electrical connections housed in a spiral cable assembly, which includes a Flexible Flat Cable (FFC).

The FFC could contact a small point of the retainer and become damaged when the steering wheel is turned. This damage could occur to a circuit on the FFC that provides connectivity to the driver's airbag module.

If the connectivity is lost, the airbag warning lamp will light up and the driver's airbag can get deactivated, causing it to not deploy in the event of a crash.

Under detailed guidelines from the TMC, the TMV will carry out the checking and replacing of the spiral cable of driver's airbag free of cost.

The TMV said it has been reporting the details of the campaign to recall the vehicles to Viet Nam Register as well as managing logistics to facilitate an early recall.

"Immediately after approval by Viet Nam Register, the TMV will send official and detailed information of the campaign to customers and mass media in Viet Nam," said a representative from TMV.

Last December, Toyota Motor Viet Nam also recalled 126 Land Cruiser Prado and Hiace for checking the valve springs. In November 2012, it recalled 5,299 units of the Corolla Altis and Vios to check and repair faulty power-window master switches.

While the TMC – the world's biggest automaker - sold nearly 10 million vehicles last year, its Viet Nam's subsidiary, the TMV, sold 31,000 vehicles in the same period. — VNS