2002–2007 Lexus, Pontiac and Toyota: air bags recall
An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
What was reported
Source: manufacturer filing, 49 CFR Part 573Reported to NHTSA Dec 12, 2018 by Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing, owners notified Jan 23, 2019.
What that means, in plain English
Source: WhichTrim's reading of the filing above — not NHTSA's wordingTakata-type inflator explosion can propel metal fragments into occupants, causing serious injury or death — a direct, unwarned lethal threat to vehicle occupants during deployment.
Written for us by a language model from the manufacturer's filed text, which is quoted in full above. Where the two differ, the filing is the record and this is only our summary of it.
The fix, from the dealer bulletin
Source: NHTSA remedy instructions and dealer noticeSpecial tools
- • Standard hand tools • Torque wrench • Electrical tape • Molding remover set • Techstream • Zip Tie OPTIONAL SST – This
Read from NHTSA’s copy of the manufacturer’s dealer documents (manufacturer campaign See attached report). The procedure itself is in the bulletin; a franchised dealer has the current copy on the manufacturer’s portal, and that copy governs. Working a lot or a fleet? Recall Watch carries this line on every VIN it checks: remedy status, hours, stop-sale.
Which vehicles are covered
Source: NHTSA campaign 18V883000Vehicles built Jan 18, 2002 to Jun 4, 2007 — a VIN outside that window is not part of this campaign even if the year, make and model match.
| Model year | On WhichTrim |
|---|---|
| 2002 Lexus SC | every Lexus on this site |
| 2003 Lexus SC | every Lexus on this site |
| 2004 Lexus SC | every Lexus on this site |
| 2005 Lexus SC | every Lexus on this site |
| 2003 Pontiac Vibe | — |
| 2004 Pontiac Vibe | — |
| 2005 Pontiac Vibe | — |
| 2006 Pontiac Vibe | — |
| 2007 Pontiac Vibe | — |
| 2003 Toyota Corolla | every Toyota on this site |
| 2004 Toyota Corolla | every Toyota on this site |
| 2005 Toyota Corolla | every Toyota on this site |
| 2002 Toyota Sequoia | every Toyota on this site |
| 2003 Toyota Sequoia | every Toyota on this site |
| 2004 Toyota Sequoia | every Toyota on this site |
| 2005 Toyota Sequoia | every Toyota on this site |
| 2003 Toyota Tundra | every Toyota on this site |
| 2004 Toyota Tundra | every Toyota on this site |
| 2005 Toyota Tundra | every Toyota on this site |
None of the vehicles this campaign names has a page on WhichTrim: every model year it names is older than the catalogue, which begins at 2016. The campaign record above is complete as filed, and whether one specific vehicle is included is settled by its VIN. Other campaigns on vehicles without a page here →
How much of it has been fixed
Source: manufacturer quarterly report, 49 CFR 573.7of the campaign
The final figure: the six quarters of reporting that 49 cfr 573.7 requires have closed.
This is the manufacturer's own cumulative count of vehicles it has inspected and repaired, divided by the vehicles the campaign covers. It files that count with NHTSA every quarter for six consecutive quarters, starting from the quarter in which owners were told a remedy was ready, and then the obligation ends — so a figure on an older campaign is where the count stopped, not where it stands today.
It rarely reaches 100%, and not because the work was not done. The same report asks manufacturers to count vehicles they could not reach at all — exported, stolen, scrapped, or simply never located — and those stay in the denominator. A low number means a lot of these vehicles are still out there unrepaired; it does not tell you which ones.
The federal paperwork
Source: nhtsa.govFiled documents
Check one specific vehicle
A recall applies to a build range, so year, make and model cannot settle it. Type the VIN and the WhichTrim recall report checks this campaign’s build window and engine against it.
Campaign 18V883000 · the manufacturer calls it See attached report
Own one, or run a fleet? Recall Watch checks each VIN against every new NHTSA campaign and emails you when one lands, this one's expansions included. Or take a free one-line alert by model year.
NHTSA’s investigation file links this recall to engineering analysis EA15001.
A recall covers a build range. Only your VIN settles it.
Check it with the WhichTrim recall report now, or have us check it every night and email you when something new is filed.
Common questions
Source: NHTSA, 49 CFR Part 573Is See attached report the same recall as 18V883000?
Yes. See attached report is the number Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing uses for this campaign in its own paperwork and in the letter it sends owners. 18V883000 is the number NHTSA files it under. One recall, two references — dealers and service departments generally quote the manufacturer's.
Does this recall repair cost anything?
No. Federal law requires the manufacturer to remedy a safety defect or a compliance failure at no charge, for vehicles up to 15 years old measured from the date of first sale. A dealer that asks you to pay for a recall repair is in the wrong.
How do I know whether my vehicle is included?
By VIN, not by model year. This campaign covers vehicles built Jan 18, 2002 to Jun 4, 2007. The manufacturer files a build range with NHTSA and only vehicles inside it are covered, so two identical-looking cars from the same year can differ. NHTSA's own lookup checks a VIN against the manufacturer's list.
What if the repair is not available yet?
It happens, and often. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is found even if the parts or the software are not ready, then notify them a second time once the remedy exists. The remedy filed for this campaign is described above.
What did the manufacturer say was wrong?
The problem, risk and fix quoted on this page are the manufacturer's own words as filed with NHTSA under 49 CFR Part 573. WhichTrim does not paraphrase them.
Who started this recall?
NHTSA's record credits NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. NHTSA’s investigation file links this recall to engineering analysis EA15001. A recall can begin with the manufacturer's own testing, with a defect investigation, or with a compliance test against a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard.