Toyota is issuing an auto defect recall for more than 400 RAV4 2011 model SUVs because one or both of the vehicles’ side curtain shield airbags may not deploy in the event of a crash. According to Consumer Reports, propellant with the incorrect specification was used in the curtain shield airbags. This could lead to the inflator potentially not performing properly. In the event of a car accident, the airbags may not be able to properly protect an occupant, increasing the risk of injuries or even fatalities.

The RAV4 vehicles involved in this recall were manufactured between November 24, 2011 and December 19, 2011. When the recall begins in early March, Toyota will notify owners and dealers will inspect the vehicle identification number to identify the defective curtain shield assemblies. The defective ones will be replaced with the new assemblies at no charge to consumers. Toyota owners are asked to contact 1-800-331-4331 for more information about this auto safety recall.

Side Impact Collisions

Side curtain airbags are meant to protect vehicle occupants in dangerous broadside crashes or T-bone crashes. Such crashes involve collisions that occur at right angles. Most of the deadly side-angle crashes are broadside crashes. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that close to 62.5 percent of all fatal side-angle crashes each year are broadside crashes.

Liability Issues

These types of accidents can definitely cause devastating injuries or even, fatalities because the sides of vehicles offer far less protection from the impact of the collision than the front or back of the vehicle. This is where side curtain airbags play a crucial role. When these defective airbags fail to deploy in the event of a side-impact collision, it truly deprives vehicle occupants of that extra layer of protection, which can make the difference between life and death.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of a defective auto or faulty airbag, it would be in your best interest to preserve the vehicle and contact an experienced California personal injury lawyer, who has successfully handled defective airbag cases. In such incidents, the vehicle is the most important piece of evidence. It must be preserved intact so it can be carefully examined by an expert for product defects, mechanical malfunctions, design flaws and other evidence.