III. Background

Due to the combination of the spiral cable design and characteristics unique to the chassis components of the Tacoma, steering wheel vibration ("flutter") may cause friction between the Flexible Flat Cable (FFC) and the retainer in the spiral cable assembly in the steering wheel. In FFC's with seven channel circuits, friction over time may result in damage to certain circuits on the flat cable that provide connectivity to the driver's air bag module. If connectivity is lost, the air bag warning lamp will illuminate. In addition, the driver's air bag may become deactivated, causing it to not deploy in the event of a crash. This could increase the risk of injury to the driver.