Takata Airbag Recall Expanded to Include Vehicles Manufactured Through June 2014
Another 30,867 vehicles have been added to the Takata airbag recall, including vehicles manufactured from 2008 up until this summer.
After recalling more than seven million vehicles with faulty airbags that may shoot metal debris into the car’s passenger compartment upon deployment, Takata Corp. recently announced that another 30,867 potentially defective airbags may have been manufactured up until this summer, with faulty inflator mechanisms installed at the company’s manufacturing facility in Mexico. Despite previous claims that the defective airbags were only installed in vehicles manufactured between 2000 and 2007, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on October 29, that the Takata airbag recall has been expanded to include airbags manufactured by the company between June 16, 2008 and June 20, 2014. If you believe you have been harmed by a defective Takata airbag, contact a product liability attorney today for legal help.
Exploding Airbags May Shoot Shrapnel at Passengers
Overall, recalled Takata airbags have been installed in approximately eight million vehicles sold by at least 10 different auto manufacturers, including Toyota, Honda, Ford, BMW, Mazda, Chrysler, General Motors, Subaru and Mitsubishi. The NHTSA has indicated that most of the problems with the defective airbags involve the airbags over-inflating and rupturing when they are deployed during an accident, potentially shooting shrapnel into the passenger compartment of the vehicle and injuring drivers and passengers. At least four deaths and 139 injuries have been linked to the exploding airbag problems, and safety officials believe that the airbags may post a greater risk in areas with high humidity, such as Guam, Puerto Rico, and around the Gulf of Mexico and Florida.
Vehicles Potentially Affected by Airbag Problem
Documents have surfaced recently, indicating that the problem with the Takata airbags may exist in later model vehicles, affecting Toyota vehicles and other cars manufactured as recently as 2011, and this latest recall involves airbags with the SDI-X inflator that were manufactured at Takata’s Mexico plant between June 16, 2008 and June 20, 2014, which suggests that Takata continued to manufacture the defective airbags right up until this summer. However, the NHTSA is currently investigating Takata airbags installed in vehicles manufactured between 2000 and 2007, which has raised serious concerns about whether or not the federal investigation is broad enough.
An Experienced Product Liability Lawyer Can Help
In light of the airbag defect, and the risk of serious injury or death from the recalled Takata airbags rupturing and shooting passengers with metal shrapnel, a growing number of product liability lawsuits are being filed against Takata, Honda and other auto manufacturing companies. Lawsuits currently pending in the defective airbag litigation include a complaint brought by 16 different plaintiffs in Florida, and a class action lawsuit filed in California. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries allegedly caused by a Takata airbag defect, our advocates at the Leading Justice can help. We are committed to protecting the rights of consumers harmed by defective products, and can help put you in touch with a lawyer who has experience handling defective airbag claims.
[box type=”note” align=”aligncenter” ]Source: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/jaxrs/download/doc/UCM465672/RCLRPT-14E071-0392.PDF[/box]
