Reports show that Takata airbag inflators have caused at least 11 deaths and 100 injuries worldwide. For this reason, the company will recall another 35 million to 40 million inflators in the U.S.
The federal government announced that this will be the biggest automotive recall in the history of America. The total number of Takata airbag inflators to be replaced has gone up to approximately 69 million.
Takata to double US airbag recall https://t.co/QQ6RSR9Ylq
— BBC News (World) (@BBCWorld) May 5, 2016
"This issue is urgent," National Highway Traffic Safety Administration head Mark Rosekind told the Chicago Tribune. "The science now clearly shows these inflators can become unsafe over time."
A total of fourteen car manufacturers were involved in the previous recall of Takata airbag inflators. Another three manufacturers -- Jaguar-Land Rover, Fisker and Tesla -- will be involved in the new batch of recalls.
More Takata airbags are being recalled in the ''most complex safety recall in US history" https://t.co/Il1xkHaD7y pic.twitter.com/Sro3oor32e — The Verge (@verge) May 4, 2016
The daunting task of recalling millions of Takata airbag inflators will take until December 2019 to finish. Most of the inflators to be replaced are for the front passenger. Cars that are located in humid and warm areas will be prioritized.
One of the biggest challenges in recalling the Takata airbag inflators is to find and persuade owners to get their cars repaired and their air bags replaced. After more than two years of trying to recall the unsafe airbag inflators, only 29 percent of affected cars have been repaired.
So how are Takata airbag inflators causing deaths and injuries? Studies show that the ammonium nitrate content used to inflate the air bag can explode when exposed to high heat, according to CNET. The inflator assemblies within the air bag are also not giving adequate protection against heat and humidity.
