Toyota adds 17,000 Canadian vehicles to Takata air bag inflator recall

Toyota is recalling 361,000 more vehicles worldwide, including about 17,000 in Canada, to replace Takata air bag inflators that could explode and hurl shrapnel.

The vehicles, ranging in model years between 1997 and 2000, have older inflators that are different from Takata products that use volatile ammonium nitrate to fill air bags in a crash. Those are the devices that led to numerous deaths.

The inflators in this recall, however, can also explode with too much force and spew metal fragments that can endanger people.

The recall covers some versions of the RAV4 SUV from 1998 to 2000, the Celica sports car from 1997 to 1999, and the 1998 and 1999 model year Paseo vehicles.

The company doesn’t have a fix yet but will tell owners when one is ready. Toyota says it will notify owners by mail starting in mid-March.

Owners can call Toyota with questions at (800) 869-6828.

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