Fiat Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Toyota and Volkswagen all admitted to government investigators that they are still equipping some new vehicles with non-desiccated ammonium-nitrate inflators.
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Certain Takata airbags can inflate with too much force and at least 11 deaths worldwide are related to the defect. The report by Commerce Committee Democrats says some 2016 and 2017 models from Fiat Chrysler, Mitsubishi, Toyota and Volkswagen have a type of inflator that is prone to rupture and presents a potential danger to drivers and passengers.
In total, 15 automakers have recalled almost 16.4 million vehicles in the United States since last week, stemming from Takata’s decision in May to declare another 35 million to 40 million inflators with ammonium nitrate defective by 2019.
NHTSA has taken control of the massive recall, using legal authority to do so for the first time – and previous year appointed a former federal prosecutor to oversee the effort.
All told, auto makers over the past week recalled more than 16 million vehicles with the air bags, which risk rupturing and spraying shrapnel. Ford announced more recalls Wednesday, bringing their number impacted in North America to 1.9 million. Takata-manufactured airbags containing the drying agent, however, have reportedly been incident free thus far. NHTSA administrator Mark Rosekind said last month that Takata inflators do not pose unreasonable risk when installed in a new vehicle or for several years afterward, giving automakers the legal assurance to continue to sell the vehicles.
Automakers have said they are moving away from Takata air bags that use ammonium nitrate.
The 2005-’06 Ford GT coupe has been added to Ford’s recall of 1.9 million vehicles for defective Takata front-passenger airbag inflators, Ford said on Thursday.
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At least ten people were killed and more than 100 were injured in the United States in connection with the explosion of Takata inflators. But the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high heat and humidity and burn faster than designed. Two other deaths in Malaysia are under investigation. Another 92,000 vehicles were recalled by BMW AG, while Jaguar Land Rover, a Tata Motors Ltd brand, recalled 54,000 vehicles. Nearly 40 percent of Hondas in high-humidity areas have been brought in for the recall – and that’s by far the highest rate of compliance of any automaker.
