Lexus IS recalled for airbag issue

Lexus is recalling over 7000 examples of its second-generation IS sedan and convertible to fix an earlier attempt to rectify defective Takata airbag inflators.

The voluntary safety recall concerns a dessicated, phase-stabilised ammonium nitrate propellant installed in the front passenger airbag inflator as part of an earlier recall, which Lexus Australia has discovered may degrade over the life of the vehicle.

The company says there have been no reported issues, however, and customers can continue to drive their vehicles.

It says the recall affects only the front passenger airbag in these IS models, and not any other airbags or Lexus model lines.

“The subject vehicles are equipped with certain Takata front passenger air bag inflators as a replacement part under a prior recall which contain a desiccated, phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant,” reads the recall notice.

“Continued prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling may cause the inflator to rupture during an air bag deployment due to propellant degradation. 

“An inflator rupture may cause metal fragments to pass through the air bag and into the vehicle interior at high speed, which may result in injury or death to vehicle occupants.

“This recall is initiated as a proactive measure. Based on the investigation of recovered parts, no degradation of the propellant has been currently identified.”

• A total of 7015 vehicles are affected, produced between August 31, 2005 and December 25, 2012, across the IS250, IS250C, IS350 and IS F nameplates
• The original recall notice and Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) list are attached here

If you own an affected vehicle, you’ll need to schedule an appointment with an authorised dealer to have the inflator replaced, free of charge.

The work will take approximately 4.5 hours per vehicle. However, the company advises that depending on the dealer’s work schedule, you may need to make your vehicle available for a longer period of time.

If you have any further questions, you can contact your preferred Lexus dealer or the Lexus Customer Assistance Centre on 1800 023 009 on weekdays between 9:30am and 5:30pm.

Lexus IS airbag recall history

• June 2016: Lexus Australia recalled 21,750 IS sedan and convertible variants built between 2005 and 2011 as the front passenger airbag inflator could become susceptible to moisture intrusion over time, making the assembly prone to rupture.
• January 2017: A further 2166 IS models built between 2011 and 2012, plus the unrelated LFA, were also recalled.
• January 2018: Lexus Australia recalled an additional 698 IS vehicles produced between January and December 2013.
• January 2019: An additional 54 vehicles built between January 2014 and August 2014 were recalled, with Lexus being even more explicit about the dangers in its recall notice by warning “the airbag is faulty and could kill or seriously injure you and other people in your vehicle when it reaches six years after its year of manufacture” and “there is no immediate known risk with the airbag but there will be in the future”.
• August 2019: Lexus Australia recalled 13,768 vehicles produced between 2005 and 2012 as some of the replacement inflators may have been produced without certain ignition booster tablets, and therefore their airbags may not fully inflate.

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