Daniel Cruz

Many Amador students own a Corolla as their first car.

In an urgent statement, Toyota issued a “Do not drive” statement regarding over 50,000 Toyota Corollas. The issue is a potentially fatal flaw with the vehicle’s Takata airbag system this past week. With many Amador students driving this affordable Toyota as their first car, are you affected?

“Due to the age of the vehicles, if the airbag deploys, a part inside is more likely to explode and shoot sharp metal fragments, which could cause serious injury or death to drivers or passengers,” said Toyota USA.

An issue with the airbag inflator and the chemicals used causes the issue. Over time, pressure builds in the metal canister and causes a more powerful explosion than expected. As a result, this flaw essentially turns an airbag into a grenade. Some cars have the faulty airbag on the passenger side, and others on the driver’s side. 

“[The canister] is highly sensitive to temperature changes and moisture, and it breaks down over time. And when it breaks down, it can combust violently,” say experts.

This issue affects older Toyota vehicles manufactured from 2003-2005. Decay of chemicals and materials causes the airbags to deploy in an unsafe manner. These chemicals are especially sensitive to moisture; with Pleasanton being located in a moist Bay Area climate, it’s crucial to address this as soon as possible.

“Toyota is issuing an immediate DO NOT DRIVE advisory for certain model year 2003-2004 Corolla, 2003-2004 Matrix, and model year 2004-2005 RAV4 vehicles in the United States,” said Toyota USA in a press statement.

Since before 2019, Toyota has offered a no-cost repair for the listed vehicles. If you or your family owns one of these cars, Toyota has likely contacted you already.  

“I’m going to take [my Corolla] to the dealership. It’s a little scary knowing that I could crash and put myself or my passengers in even more danger,” said Caleb Hong (‘25).