There is a potentially deadly defect in the Takata airbag inflators that
were recalled between 2008 and 2015. A design or manufacturing defect
causes the part to inflate the air bag with far too much force, breaking
the surrounding airbag housing. This can cause metal and plastic pieces
to shoot through the cabin. So far, at least 16 deaths and 180 injuries
have been tied to the defect.
This recall is the largest ever in the auto industry. A total of 46.2 million
airbag inflators manufactured by Takata have been recalled so far, out
of a total of about 100 million which have been ordered recalled. The
defect affects 19 automakers, including Honda, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW,
Toyota, Mazda, and Subaru, among others.
Last month, Toyota, BMW, Mazda and Subaru agreed to pay the owners of affected
vehicles some $553 million in damages over the recall. They also agreed
to take active steps to motivate owners to get those repairs made.
Why aren’t more of the airbags fixed?
Recently, the U.S. Senate asked the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
about the
progress on the recall. NHTSA answered that only 15.8 million of the 46.2 million recalled airbag
inflators have been repaired. Shockingly, about 8.8 million owners who
were sent recall notices were told that no replacement parts were available.
In February, Takata was charged in the U.S. with criminal wrongdoing. It
pled guilty and agreed to pay $1 billion toward the resolution of a federal
investigation. The company has been searching for financing to pay for
all the required replacement costs.
Nevertheless, a Takata spokesperson told Reuters that the company has “dramatically
increased” production of the replacement kits. It has shipped more
than 26 million kits — two-thirds of which contain inflators that other
manufacturers provided.
Why is that important? Until at least December 2016, Takata was still
installing the defective airbag inflators in new cars.
If you have received a recall notice for an airbag or inflator, act immediately.
If you have been told there is no replacement kit available, follow up.
It isn’t convenient, but it could save your life.
If someone you love has been seriously injured or killed
in a car crash, it may not be obvious what happened. A faulty car part or an automotive
defect may have contributed. Tabor Law Firm is committed to helping you
find the answers you need and supporting you throughout the process of
filing a legal claim.
