Hello, Daughter In Law is about to purchase a new 2017 Prius. The non-plug in model. Should she be concerned about it coming with those Takata air bags one continually reads about ? e.g., Were Takata air bags used for the 2017 model ? Will they be replaced, if so, in "near future" ? Or, she should have no worry about the air bags ? Any thoughts on this would obviously be most appreciated. Thanks, Bob
I have a 2016 Prius and am not concerned. Takata has learned its lesson due to the excessive pain that they have endured. JeffD
I am not the fount of all wisdom by any means, but when the recall was taking place, NO new cars were released by dealers until the problem had been corrected. Therefore, I suspect your daughter's car will have no Takata airbag fault that we know of.
See Consumer Reports summary attached. See the list for Toyota (no Prii to date). Interesting however as late as 2016 for some Lexus/4Runners. Takata Airbag Recall - Everything You Need to Know Toyota Immediate action is recommended if your vehicle registered in the coastal areas around the Gulf of Mexico, including Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas. Or if the car is in Florida, Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Virgin Islands and Hawaii. When the parts become available, owners will be notified by mail to bring their vehicle in for the proper fix. Finally, if you are uncomfortable driving your vehicle to the dealership to have the work performed, contact your local Toyota dealer, and they will arrange to have the vehicle picked up. Recalled cars: Lexus: 2007-2012 Lexus ES 2010-2012 Lexus GX 2006-2012 Lexus IS (including IS F) 2012 Lexus LFA 2002-2010 Lexus SC Not under recall yet, but use defective Takata inflators that will need to be replaced by 2018: 2015 Lexus IS250C, IS350C 2015-2016 Lexus GX460 Scion: 2008-2012 Scion xB Not under recall yet, but use defective Takata inflators that will need to be replaced by 2018: 2015 Scion xB Toyota: 2010-2012 Toyota 4Runner 2003-2007, 2009-2012 Toyota Corolla 2003-2007, 2009-2012 Toyota Matrix 2004-2005 Toyota RAV4 2011-2012 Toyota Sienna 2002-2007 Toyota Sequoia 2003-2006 Toyota Tundra 2006-2012 Toyota Yaris Not under recall yet, but use defective Takata inflators that will need to be replaced by 2018: 2015-2016 Toyota 4Runner
That list is old or incomplete. I notice they skipped the 2008 Corolla. Toyota sent me some scary postcards until I got my passenger airbag replaced here in Virginia on my 2008 Corolla LE.
Check the VIN number on the CR link to the VIN check. The CR list is not necessarily all air bag problems, just Takata recalls. I believe some Prii have had airbag recalls unrelated to the Takata issue.
Here is an article that has a more complete list at the bottom. Apparently the recall was expanded again last October. Here is the Toyota list. Toyota (6 million, including Lexus and Scion): 2002–2007 Sequoia; 2003–2013 Corolla and Corolla Matrix; 2003–2006 Tundra; 2004–2005 RAV4; 2006–2012 Yaris; 2010–2016 4Runner; 2011–2014 Sienna from Massive Takata Airbag Recall: Everything You Need to Know
takata airbags are either recalled, or they aren't. no way to know if the ones that aren't recalled are deadly. i've replaced 4 so far.
Good question. I am not sure if any Takata airbag is allowed without eventual recall. In the end the ammonium nitrate they alone used was the problem, and I do not know if they ever switched to a different "explosive".
...some 2017 models on that list...apparently even Toyota has still been using the Takata's for a few models, as of Dec_2016
The danger is with old airbags degrading - and, if the 2017 ones need changing, they'll be changed well in time. I think the whole issue has been blown out of all proportion - there have been only a few fatalities world wide out of, I think I heard 100million+ vehicles, the risk is negligible, much greater chance of something else causing grief on the road. If I had an older car with a Takata airbag, I'd certainly look to getting it replaced. But, to see it in balance, - in India, there will be almost 400 fatalities on the road just today.
Too bad there is not time travel yet.... if you are old enough as an American you will recall the huge fight between US auto makers and the Fed gov't on the air bags. Of course the Feds said the autos were wrong to hype up the risks. At least now the autos are "on-board" with the need despite their horror stories of the past actually coming true to some extent. .
The third gen Prius had side curtain airbag shrapnel absorbers/deflectors installed, but that was it for Prius airbags. I think you're safe.
