In the biggest recall in auto history, Takata Corporation has been ordered by federal officials to expand its recall to an additional 40 million airbags among various makes and models. The airbags have been associated with 11 fatalities in the U.S.
An estimated 24 million vehicles were previously recalled during the last ten years, affecting 14 automakers. Nearly every other manufacturer will be included in this latest recall.
It is unclear the exact amount of vehicles that will be impacted by the recent recall at this time. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a range of approximately 35 to 40 million Takata airbags will be affected. Since some vehicles include more than one Takata airbag, the actual vehicle count could be fewer.
Takata Airbag Recall Challenges
With the total number of recalled vehicles reaching upwards of 50 million, challenges remain regarding replacement parts. Takata is still having a difficult time delivering the needed airbag inflators for the previous recall.
Some car owners have waited months for auto dealers to acquire the necessary parts. A few manufacturers, like BMW and Toyota, have used other parts manufacturers to step up repairs.
As of last month, the NHTSA said eight million vehicles have been repaired, but that is less than a third of the targeted vehicles mandated by the government agency. The NHTSA, along with safety advocates, are imploring automakers to work at a 100 percent completion rate to fix vehicles with defective airbags.
Defective airbag inflators can rupture and forcefully propel metal shards into the air, causing serious injury and death. A chemical propellant used to deploy the airbags was implicated as the culprit and the recall now entails passenger and driver side airbags.
If you have been injured because of a defective product like a Takata airbag, contact our experienced product liability attorneys at Greg Coleman Law today. We can help you by analyzing your claim in a free legal consultation
Call (865) 247-0080 or fill out a Free Case Evaluation.
