The federal government is specifying the models of 12 million vehicles recalled because they contain defective Takata air bags.
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Some Takata air bag inflators have ruptured and sprayed metal fragments at passengers. The defect has been blamed on at least 11 deaths globally and more than 100 injuries.
Fiat Chrysler said Friday it is also recalling 933,000 vehicles sold outside the United States for Takata inflators. The 12 million USA -market vehicles involved in this new recall, coupled with the 7 million affected in Japan, bring that total to nearly 70 million globally.
A total of 17 automakers have added up to 40 million inflators to what was already the largest auto recall in U.S. history.
Takata is now in bailout talks with a number of potential investors including private-equity firm KKR & Co., according to reports. As a result, some owners may not get replacement inflators for several years. FCA also recalled 4.3 million older-model vehicles in the USA, mostly from the 2004 and 2005 model years.
The new recalls are the result of increasingly aggressive US auto safety regulators.
Mazda Canada said it will recall 7,283 vehicles, while Nissan Canada said about 3,000 vehicles are affected.
Automakers face challenges obtaining enough replacement parts and getting owners to fix their cars.
The complete lack of drying solvent (or an improper amount of it) used to prevent moisture and humidity in airbag inflators may cause these parts to fail.
The recalls are among the first to be unveiled by auto manufacturers since Takata agreed to the recall expansion.
The cost is expected to be a huge burden for the Tokyo-based company, which recorded a net loss of 13.08 billion yen in fiscal 2015, its second straight year of red ink, amid impact of the global recall of its air bag inflators.
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The embattled Japanese supplier faces an ongoing U.S. criminal investigation as well as class-action lawsuits and suits filed by the state of Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
