Airbags are a basic safety feature found in modern automobiles. But what if they fail to deploy properly during a collision? This is the issue Toyota USA faces as it recalls approximately 1,000,000 vehicles for a potentially defective occupant classification system (OCS).

The thing with airbags is that they aren’t one-size-fits-all. Although they are beneficial for ordinary adults, the same can’t be said for children and smaller individuals. That’s why there are OCS sensors to measure the weight of the occupants.

Toyota USA said that faulty manufacturing could cause the OCS sensor for the front passenger seat to short-circuit. So, there’s a possibility the airbag might not deploy when needed. The affected models include:

Toyota

• Avalon and Avalon Hybrid (2020-2021)
• Camry and Camry Hybrid (2020-2022)
• Corolla (2020-2021)
• Highlander and Highlander Hybrid (2020-2021)
• RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid (2020-2021)
• Sienna Hybrid (2021)

Lexus

• ES250 (2021)
• ES300h (2020-2022)
• ES350 (2020-2021)
• RX350 (2020-2021)
• RX450h (2020-2021)

Toyota USA will notify affected vehicle owners by February 2024 with dealers to provide free inspection and, if necessary, replacement of defective OCS sensors.