It's a potentially fatal fault.
Toyota is recalling nearly 12,000 cars in Ireland due to a safety issue with airbags.
Certain Avensis, Corollas, Avensis Verso and Yaris cars produced between February 2001 and July 2008 are affected.
A report carried out by Takata, who make the airbags, said the defect could "cause metal fragments to pass through the airbag" and into the "vehicle at high speed, which may result in injury or death".
A statement from the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission explained:
"A safety issue has been identified whereby it is possible that the vehicles are equipped with front passenger air bag inflators (Takata-designated SPI, PSPI, PSPI-L), as a “like-for-like” replacement under a prior recall, which contain a non-desiccated, phase stabilized ammonium nitrate propellant.
"According to Takata’s reports, a defect related to motor vehicle safety may arise in the inflators due to propellant degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.
"Activation of a non-desiccated ammonium nitrate inflator with degraded propellant may result in an inflator rupture.
"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."
Toyota say they'll contact all affected vehicle owners by letter and advise them to make an appointment. All necessary repairs and checks will be carried out free of charge.
