On Wednesday afternoon, US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Administrator Mark Rosekind said during an interaction with reporters that beleaguered Japanese auto-parts supplier Takata has agreed to recall an additional 35 million to 40 million vehicles equipped with defective airbag inflators.
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Takata, which had resisted recalls before being fined previous year by the safety agency, said it knows of no ruptures in the batch of inflators that have been added to the recalls, nor does it know of any new data or scientific analysis “that suggests any substantial risk with respect to such vehicles”. Cars with a certain Takata air bag design are prone to water seeping in, with vehicles operating in a humid environment deemed at most risk, they found. Eleven deaths have been linked to the defective parts.
Also, because of difficulty in finding owners and persuading them to get cars repaired.
The problem is that Takata uses ammonium nitrate, a blasting agent used in open pit mining operations, as the propellant in its inflators.
NHTSA says this latest expansion will occur in phases between May 2016 and December 2019, with the first recalls to be determined by the age of the inflators and their exposure to high humidity and temperatures.
Remarkably, Takata are recalling another 35-40 million airbag inflators, which takes the total recall to 69 million! To check if your auto is under recall, go to safercar.gov. VIN numbers of the newly recalled vehicles will be added in the next few weeks.
The massive recalls have raised questions on the ability of the industry to produce and distribute replacement parts. Last May, the air-bag supplier set the record for the largest automotive recall in USA history by agreeing to nearly double the number of vehicles called back to about 34 million worldwide. He said owners can ask dealers for loaner cars, but admitted that dealers are not required to make one available. Those in areas with high absolute humidity, like Florida and Texas, are at the greatest risk. Most of the inflators to be replaced are for the front passenger.
Two U.S. senators said even the expanded recall may not be enough. After more than two years of trying to recall the unsafe airbag inflators, only 29 percent of affected cars have been repaired.
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NHTSA will also consult with affected vehicle manufacturers before revising the Coordinated Remedy Order that governs the accelerated program to obtain and install replacement inflators. “Takata continues to support all actions that advance vehicle safety and is in constant and close coordination with NHTSA to enhance consumer awareness”.
