Consumer Update: Takata Airbags Recall Continues to Expand
42 million vehicles are now part of a recall the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) calls “one of the largest and most complex in U.S. history.” Takata Corporation, an automotive parts company based in Japan, has recalled airbags installed in vehicles from 19 different automobile manufacturers. These airbags can explode when deployed, causing serious injury or even death.
According to NHTSA:
The propellant in the inflators breaks-down after long-term exposure to high temperature fluctuations and humidity. This breakdown can cause the propellant to burn too quickly, creating too much pressure for the inflator, and in extreme cases the inflator explodes, shooting shrapnel toward vehicle occupants.
NHTSA reports 13 confirmed fatalities and hundreds of confirmed injuries caused by defective Takata airbag inflators.
Vehicles impacted includes: Acura, Audi, BMW, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Daimler Trucks North America, Daimler Vans USA LLC, Dodge/Ram, Ferrari, Fisker, Ford, GMC, Honda, Infiniti, Jaguar, Jeep, Land Rover, Lexus, Lincoln, Mazda, McLaren, Mercedes-Benz, Mercury, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn, Scion, Subaru, Tesla, Toyota, and Volkswagen. If you purchased a vehicle from one of these 19 manufacturers from the model years 2002 to 2017, please visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls to find out if your vehicle is affected by the recall.
Vehicles should be repaired as soon as possible. The recall repair is free and can be made by the service department of your automobile manufacturer’s local dealership. If you experience trouble with recall repairs by your local dealership, contact the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs at 1-800-342-8325 (toll free inside Tennessee) or (615) 741-4737.
