(NewsNation) — Toyota and General Motors are urging owners of 50,000 older Corolla, Matrix, RAV4 and Pontiac Vibe models to stop driving them because their Takata air bag inflators are at risk of exploding and hurling shrapnel.
The “do not drive” advisory covers certain Corolla compact cars and Matrix hatchbacks from 2003 and 2004, and RAV4 small SUVs from 2004 and 2005.
Also covered are Pontiac Vibes from 2003 and 2004. Owners should contact a dealer instead of driving the cars in for repairs.
Dealers will provide options such as mobile repair, towing the car to a dealer, or pickup and delivery.
“If the air bag deploys, a part inside is more likely to explode and shoot sharp metal fragments, which could cause serious injury or death to the driver or passengers,” Toyota said in a statement.
The recalled RAV4s have the Takata driver’s air bags while the Corolla and Matrix models have them on the passenger side. The Corolla and Matrix also are under a separate recall because their air bags can be deployed without a crash, the company said.
Both companies said owners should contact a local dealer instead of driving the cars in for repairs. Dealers will provide options such as mobile repair, towing the car to a dealer, or vehicle pickup and delivery.
Owners can go to nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) to see if their cars are affected.
Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. But the chemical propellant can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
