Recent statistics indicate that approximately 34 million cars and trucks have been recalled due to Takata’s faulty air bags, which can reportedly blast shrapnel when deployed. Numbers show that nearly one in every seven vehicles on U.S. highways have been affected by this recall involving the faulty airbags that have led eight known deaths and more than 100 injuries.
An additional 1.37 million vehicles in the U.S. that contain Takata-made front passenger air bag inflators are scheduled for recall by the Toyota corporation, and Honda has also recently stated they plan to recall an additional 1 million Accords and Civics with Takata air bags. These recalls, in conjunction with numerous others made by Mazda North America Operations, Nissan Motor Co. Ltd., and global recalls being made by Toyota make this the larges recall of its kind in history, which the total number of vehicles continuously on the rise.
According to Takata representatives, the company is still unclear about the cause of the of the air bag defect, although multiple Takata engineers have admitted that the use of a cheap propellant is definitely part of the problem. This cheap propellant, Ammonium nitrate, is susceptible to becoming unstable when exposed to humidity and heat, and was still being used even in replacement airbags. According to engineers, the propellant’s weakness should have prevented Takata from ever using it in cars.
Takata has finally agreed to transition from the dangerous propellant to one that is less susceptible to environmental factors. However, this does not excuse the negligent acts committed by Takata which have claimed the lives of several individuals and injured many others.
If you have been in an accident involving a defective air bag, contact Caputo and Mariotti today for more information on the Takata recall.
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