Four automakers confirmed in an investigation from the Senate Commerce Committee Democrats that they are continuing to sell new vehicles with Takata ammonium-nitrate inflators that lack a chemical drying agent.
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Takata inflators can explode with excessive force and spray metal shrapnel.
There are no deaths or injuries reported in Takata inflators with a drying agent, NHTSA said.
If your Ford is on the recall list, Ford dealers will replace the defective airbags for free. An Amended Consent Order sent to Takata required the company to provide support to recall expansions set to occur between May 2016 and December 2019. “These cars shouldn’t be sold until they’re fixed”.
Mazda Motor Corp is recalling 730,000 USA vehicles while Nissan Motor Co is recalling 400,000.
DETROIT (AP) Four automakers are selling new vehicles with Takata air bag inflators even though the devices are potentially defective and likely to be recalled within a few years, according to a Senate report.
On top of the previous recall of 28.8 million cars affected by fautly Takata inflators, eight automakers have announced that an additional 12 million cars are in need of new inflators.
Over 2.1 million non-desiccated ammonium-nitrate replacement inflators have been installed in America as replacements for the recent recalls as of March 2016.
Of the affected vehicles, 1,304 are in Canada and one is in Mexico, with the rest being in the United States. Fiat Chrysler said at least one of its current models contained a passenger-side airbag with the faulty inflator.
Because there is recall of defective airbags in more than 65 million vehicles, the NHTSA has done the recall in installments, according to Senator Nelson.
Such is the scale of the Takata recall, authorities are requiring the replacement airbag components be rolled out progressively. Nelson wants the automakers to replace the inflators before the cars are sold so they don’t have to be recalled.
Ford said it’s not aware of any injuries in those vehicles.
The problem with the recalls, says Vu’s attorney Rich Newsome, is that the public never hears about them, a problem he refers to as “recall fatigue”. The recall now includes airbag inflators on certain Gold Wings from model years 2006 to 2010.
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If you’re not sure whether your vehicle is subject to the recall, you can check here.
