About 15 million Camry models have been sold in more than 100 countries since the car debuted in 1983 in the U.S. A recall becomes a big deal because of the high volumes everywhere.
Toyota Motor Sales is recalling 803,000 Model Year 2012-2013 Camry, Camry Hybrid, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, and Venza vehicles because the air bags may not deploy. The root cause, according to the Japanese automaker, is a problem with the air conditioning condenser.
In the defective cars, water from the air conditioning condenser could leak onto the airbag control module if the drain becomes clogged. A short circuit results and the air bag warning light turns on. In some instances, the air bag or air bags are disabled or could suddenly blow up. More than 700,000 of the cars are the best selling car in the U.S., the Camry.
Compounding the problem, power steering could also fail, if a communication line in the airbag control module is damaged. Loss of power steering assist results in dramatically increased steering effort, which the average driver may not be able to handle. .
To fix this latest Toyota safety defect, Toyota dealers will apply sealant and install a cover to the air conditioning condenser-housing seam located above the airbag control module. Owners of the involved vehicles will be notified by first class mail to return their vehicles to a Toyota dealer for the repair.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
