I recently received a NHTSA Recall No. 20V-024 for my 2014 Toyota Avalon.
The recall is for a possibly defective ECU unit that may cause incomplete or Nondeployment of the air bags under certain accident conditions. Plus the seat belt pretensioner may fail to work.
The recall states that Toyota will notify us in a FEW MONTHS when they are ready to begin fixing this issue.
Under the heading "WHAT WILL TOYOTA DO" the recall explains that Toyota will install a noise filter device between the airbag control module and wire harness. IT ALSO STATES TOYOTA WILL FIRST INSPECT THE ECU TO DETERMINE IF A NOISE FILTER IS EVEN NECESSARY BEFORE INSTALLING ONE.
I am interpreting the last sentence above to mean that in some cases a noise filter will not even be necessary meaning there is nothing wrong with that particular car in the first place.
My question is this: Rather than wait three months, wondering if I can even safely drive my car, or even if it is defective in the first place, why can't I take my car to the Toyota dealer RIGHT NOW and have them look at it and determine if my car is even going to need the noise filter?
Nowhere in the safety recall do they warn to absolutely NOT drive the vehicle. Am I supposed to just park the car for three months waiting to hear from them? How is a person supposed to get to work if this is their only transportation?