Toyota Makati offering cash incentive for car owners affected by Takata airbag issue

MANILA: Toyota Makati, a dealership operated directly by Toyota Motor Philippines Corporation (TMP), has issued a customer advisory (recall) related to the long-running Takata Airbag Replacement program. 

Per the announcement of the said initiative, which was made on Toyota Makati’s official social media channels, the affected units include the following: 

Model	Year of production
Toyota Vios	October 2006 - March 2007 January 2009 - June 2013
Toyota Yaris	September 2005 - June 2013
Toyota Altis	May 2001 - August 2008 April 2010 - October 2013
Toyota Alphard	May 2010 - December 2012
Toyota RAV4	July 2003 - April 2005

 

Notably, owners of affected vehicles are entitled to a P4,000 cash incentive, which will be given once the dealership has completed the free replacement of SRS airbags and their constituent components. This is available until July 31, 2026, for Metro Manila customers only. 

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Takata airbag issue: background

For those curious, the Takata airbag issue has plagued manufacturers since the early 2000s, with some recalls rolled out globally as early as 2008. 

The issue stems from Takata Corporation’s use of ammonium nitrate as an airbag propellant. According to Takata itself, the manufacturing of these products was marred by errors, including improper handling of the aforementioned chemical propellant. 

Specifically, the ammonium nitrate-based inflators could degrade over time due to temperature changes and moisture from weather, causing them to explode prematurely. This, in turn, can spew out shrapnel into the cabin, which is obviously dangerous for a vehicle’s occupants. 

Since the issue was identified, numerous safety agencies (and Takata itself) have confirmed that millions of vehicles are affected. 

On that note, a number of manufacturers, including Toyota, have been addressing this issue since the early 2000s. 

In the case of the latest customer advisory detailed above, a QR code is available on Toyota Makati’s official social media pages that links to a special website where you can enter your Toyota’s vehicle identification number (VIN). Doing so will help you identify if your car is affected by the Takata airbag issue. 

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