Toyota Motor Corp. recalled 5.8 million vehicles on Wednesday in response to the controversial "Recall of the Century" involving potentially defective Takata air bags. The recall will involve Toyota units in China, Europe, Japan and other parts of the world.
The recall includes 1.47 million units in Europe, 1.16 million vehicles from Japan, and an estimated 820,000 in China. Toyota vehicles sold in Africa, Singapore, Central and South America, and in Near and Middle East will also be recalled.
Toyota is recalling Corolla, Vitz, the subcompact hatchback Yaris, the Hilux pick-up truck, and Etios sedan and hatchback models produced from May 2000 to November 2001, and from April 2006 to December 2014. This is a great hit for Toyota as Corolla is one of the top-selling models in the world.
The Takata recall started after it was determined that their inflators exploded and spewed shrapnel causing harm to drivers. A chemical compound used in making the airbags is seen as the cause of the explosion. When the compound is exposed to prolonged heat, it may explode on impact.
According to Reuters, Takata airbags have been linked to 16 fatalities worldwide. Most of the deaths happened in the United States.
Toyota will have recalled 23.1 million, including the 5.8 million currently being recalled, vehicles since 2008. A total of 69 million vehicles from seventeen companies in the United States alone have been recalled. The number goes up to 100 million worldwide.
CNBC reports that a total of 100 million Takata airbags worldwide have been discovered to be defective. To keep up with the company's expenses to pay for liabilities, Takata is looking for a financial investor and is currently in talks with possible sponsors.
Toyota recently recalled 340,000 units of their flagship hybrid cars, the 2016 and 2017 Prius, because of brake issues.
