1st Generation Tundra News and Notes

Bite-sized content about all the recalls, lawsuits, and investigations surrounding the 2000-2006 Tundra.

  1. Toyota is recalling 65,000 vehicles to replace the front passenger airbag inflators … again.

    Although the previous recall used new replacement Takata airbag inflators, this latest recall will use inflators supplied by a company other than Takata. Those previous replacements were still using ammonium nitrate, a propellant that breaks down and explodes unpredictably when exposed to humidity and moisture.

    Takata's inflators has been a long-running nightmare for millions of owners, hopefully this is the last time you'll have to bring your car in for service related to these exploding chunks of metal.

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  2. An appeals court has cleared Toyota of any wrongdoing in a crash involving a 2005 Tundra that left William Jae Kim severely injured.

    Kim steered to the right and lost control of the Tundra, sending it off the highway and over an embankment as it rolled onto its roof and then back onto the wheels. The plaintiff sustained severe life-changing neck and spinal cord injuries in the crash.

    Vehicle stability control (VSC) was standard equipment for the 2001 to 2004 Tundra, but made an optional upgrade in 2005. The plaintiff argued that the truck’s lack of VSC led to his crash. However, the jury ruled that a missing feature wasn’t the same as a design defect.

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  3. How hot do you like your seat heater in the winter?

    If you like it really toasty — as in, with an actual flame — you’ll probably love one of 7,700 Toyota vehicles with seat heaters that catch on fire. The vehicles have been recalled because fire and cars don’t get along, what with their tanks of highly flammable liquids and all. All the affected vehicles are equipped with aftermarket accessory seat heaters that contain copper strand heating elements. The recall is being handled by Southeast Toyota Distributors (SET) which is the world’s largest distributor of Toyota and Scion vehicles.

    The recall is expected to begin on July 14, 2016 and the seat heaters will need to be disconnected. Owners will be reimbursed.

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  5. Last April, Toyota was involved in a worldwide recall of over 3 million vehicles with defective airbag inflators from parts supplier Takata.

    The inflators have been rupturing and sending hot shrapnel all over the cabin, resulting in severe burns and cuts for owners. All affected cars were recalled and their inflator serial numbers were checked against a list of defective parts provided by the supplier. If the number was on the list, the inflator was replaced and it seemed like we could all get back to enjoying our summer.…

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  6. Toyota is taking part in a massive 3-million vehicle recall of inflators that can explode and send shards of metal throughout the cabin during an airbag deployment.

    Takata said the propellant wafers produced at a plant in Moses Lake, Washington, between April 13, 2000 and September 11, 2002, may have been produced with an inadequate compaction force. The propellant could deteriorate over time and cause too much combustion, which could cause the body of the inflator to rupture during air bag deployment.

    Toyota announced plans to recall the 2001-2003 Corolla, Matrix, Sequoia, and Tundra along with the Lexus SC 430.

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