Takata airbag inflator recall

Fourth-generation trucks across several markets were recalled because the airbag inflator's propellant degrades with heat and humidity, and a degraded inflator can burst its metal housing instead of inflating the bag, firing fragments at the people it is meant to protect. The Australian and European regulator records cited below say so in those words. This is a fault with no symptom: nothing about the truck changes, nothing lights up, and the fault only exists at the one moment you would want the airbag to work. Only one of the cited records classifies the inflator by type — the Beta passenger inflator, on the 2013 to 2017 trucks — so do not read a type off this page for the earlier ones. The only diagnosis is to check the vehicle identification number with the manufacturer and to get the completion record if somebody tells you it has been done. Costa Rica is a hot, humid market, which is the exact combination the recalls name as the accelerator. The replacement is free under the recall in the markets that issued it, and a free repair with no expiry is not a repair to defer. Restraints are safety-critical: this is dealer work, not driveway work — never attempt to remove or handle an undeployed inflator yourself.

Gen 42007–2017AU · EUSafety-criticalCommunity consensus

Drive gently — repair soonManeje con cuidado — repare pronto

Safety notice — Interior and trim.

This affects a safety-critical system. Reference material only: for safety-critical work, consult a qualified mechanic.

Esto afecta un sistema crítico para la seguridad. Material de referencia únicamente: en trabajos críticos para la seguridad, consulte a un mecánico calificado.

Community consensus. This entry is not backed by factory documentation — treat its values and steps as a starting point, not as if they came from the factory manual.

Consenso de la comunidad. Esta entrada no se apoya en documentación de fábrica — tome los valores y los pasos como punto de partida, no como si vinieran del manual de fábrica.

Symptoms

The vehicle identification number comes back as affected on the manufacturer's recall look-up
Nothing at all — the truck gives no sign that the inflator has degraded
The airbag warning lamp stays lit, which is a different fault worth chasing separately

Likely causes

The inflator propellant has degraded with age, heat and humidity
The recall was issued but the remedy was never carried out on this truck
A separate restraint system fault — wiring, clock spring, seat sensor — is lighting the warning lamp

Diagnostic steps

Run the vehicle identification number through the manufacturer's own recall look-up for the market the truck was sold inPoints toThe inflator propellant has degraded with age, heat and humidity · The recall was issued but the remedy was never carried out on this truck
Ask a franchised dealer for the written record showing the campaign was completed against this vehicle identification number, rather than taking a seller's wordPoints toThe recall was issued but the remedy was never carried out on this truck
If the airbag warning lamp is lit, have the restraint system scanned for stored fault codes before assuming it is the inflatorPoints toA separate restraint system fault — wiring, clock spring, seat sensor — is lighting the warning lampRules outThe inflator propellant has degraded with age, heat and humidity

Fix paths

Have the inflator replaced by a franchised dealer

$Difficulty 3/5

The published remedy is a replacement inflator fitted free of charge in the markets that issued the recall. In a market that did not issue it, an imported truck can still be affected, so ask anyway and be prepared to pay for the same work.