Toyota vows to help investigate air bags

Associated Press

TOKYO

Toyota vowed to help pinpoint the cause of a defect in air bags used in more than 50 million vehicles worldwide, saying the auto industry risks losing the trust of car buyers if the problem drags on unresolved.

The air bags, made by Takata Corp. of Japan, can deploy with too much force, potentially causing injury or even death.

“Recalls are not just about technical problems. If there is a morsel of consumer doubt, then we have to deal with it,” Toyota President Akio Toyoda told reporters on the sidelines of a reception Thursday for the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association.