Over the past two years, 16 carmakers have recalled millions upon millions of vehicles equipped with Takata-produced, shrapnel-shooting airbags linked to 14 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Investigations have revealed the cause of the ruptures, but a new report sheds light on how the defective safety devices ended up in so many vehicles. Like many shortsighted bad decisions, it came down to money. [More]
Ruptures
Takata Ordered To Recall Up To 40 Million Additional Airbags
By 5.4.16
Hours after reports began swirling that federal regulators were poised to more than double the already massive Takata airbag inflator recall at some point this week, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced it had amended a previous order and directed the Japanese parts maker to add 35 to 40 million additional airbags to the recall list that already includes 28 million shrapnel-shooting airbags. [More]
Takata Airbag Recall Lowered, Still Largest Auto Recall In History
By 9.2.15
Months after Japanese auto parts maker Takata gave into pressure by federal regulators and recalled more than 30 million vehicles equipped with potentially deadly airbags, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration revised the number of vehicles, reducing it to 19.2 million. [More]
Regulators Open Investigation Into Another Airbag Maker Over Possible Rupture Defect
By 7.14.15
As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration continues to investigate why millions of Takata-produced airbag inflators have a tendency to spew pieces of shrapnel with enough force to injure or kill occupants, the agency has opened a second probe into another airbag manufacturer for similar rupture issues. [More]
NHTSA Pushes For National Recall Of Takata Airbags
By 11.19.14
In the past year, nearly 10 million vehicles have been recalled in areas of high humidity – generally the southern United States – related to defective Takata-produced airbags. That number could increase significantly now that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has urged the Japanese auto parts maker and car manufacturers to expand the recall to cover the entire United States. [More]
