Toyota to recall $3\mathrm{.}4$ million vehicles worldwide, air bags may not deploy in

crashes.

Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Chris Reese and Tom Brown

WASHINGTON $($Reuters$)-$ Toyota Motor Corp said on Tuesday it will recall $3\mathrm{.}4$ million

vehicles worldwide because of an electronic defect that can result in air bags not

deploying in crashes.

The recall, which includes $2\mathrm{.}9$ million U$.$S$.$ vehicles, covers $2011-2019$ Corolla, $2011-$

$2013$ Matrix, $2012-2018$ Avalon and $2013-2018$ Avalon Hybrid vehicles and is tied to

a report of one fatal crash.

The vehicles may have an electronic control unit that does not have adequate

protection against electrical noise that can occur in crashes, which could lead to

incomplete or non$-$deployment of the air bags. It could also impede the operation of

seat$-$belt pretensioners.

In April, the U$.$S$.$ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration $($NHTSA$)$ expanded

a probe into $12\mathrm{.}3$ million potentially defective air bags covering a number of

automakers, including the vehicles Toyota is recalling.

NHTSA said in April it had identified two frontal crash events, including one fatal crash

$$involving Toyota products where $($electrical overstress$)$ is suspected as the likely

cause$$ of air bags not deploying. Both involved newer Corolla cars.

NHTSA said the air bags under investigation were installed in more than $12$ million

vehicles from $2010$ through $2019$ sold by Toyota, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV$,$

Honda Motor Co$,$ Hyundai Motor Co$,$ Kia Motors Corp and Mitsubishi. They were

equipped with an air bag control unit initially produced by TRW Automotive Holdings

Corp, which is now owned by ZF Friedrichshafen. In total, NHTSA said as many as

eight deaths could be tied to the issue.

Hyundai, Kia and Fiat Chrysler previously issued recalls for more than $2\mathrm{.}5$ million

vehicles with the TRW air bag control units in question that might not deploy in

crashes. When it recalled nearly $2$ million vehicles for air bag non$-$deployments in

$2016,$ Fiat Chrysler said it had reports of three deaths and five injuries that might be

related to the defect. Hyundai and Kia ultimately recalled more than $1$ million vehicles

for air bag non$-$deployment concerns in $2018.$ Hyundai and Kia in $2018$ said they had

reports of four deaths and six injuries in North America tied to the issue.

Toyota dealers will install a noise filter between the air bag control module and its wire

harness if needed. Toyota declined to say how many deaths or injuries have been tied

to the defect. Toyota will notify vehicle owners of the recall by mid$-$March.

AFTER CAREFULLY READING THE ARTICLE, CAREFULLY ANSWER THE

FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

$5\mathrm{.}1$ What is the main quality issue highlighted on this article?

$5\mathrm{.}2$ Under which category of quality cost will you classify the highlighted quality

problem?

$5\mathrm{.}3$ What are the consequences for a company to have such quality problem?

$5\mathrm{.}4$ How many vehicles in total having the same problem were recalled worldwide?

$5\mathrm{.}5$ What recommendations would you suggest to vehicles manufacturers so that they

can mitigate or prevent the occurrence of such quality problem?