Takata recall brings attention to millions of faulty air bags still on the road

Takata recalls air bag replacement part for air bags it already recalledTakata is recalling 10M replacement air bag inflators in the United States. According to Reuters, it’s the largest-ever auto safety recall in history.USA TODAY, WochitTakata air bags are known to explode when exposed to long-term heat, and 14 million of these faulty air bags remain on U.S. roads.The Japanese auto supplier’s deadly air bag crisis became the largest recall in U.S. history; in 2016 the company recalled 35 million to 40 million air bag inflators. In total, about 67 million Takata air bags have been recalled, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.But years later, millions of the faulty air bags are still on roads in the U.S. and worldwide.In January 2021, a defective Takata air bag inflator ruptured during the crash of a 2002 Honda Accord, according to a statement by Honda. The driver died from injuries linked to the air bag explosion. Takata recall: Exploding air bag inflator in Honda Civic kills Arizona driverRecall numbers increased: Toyota recalls 2.9 million cars to fix air bag defectThe air bag involved in the crash had been recalled since April 2011. Honda said it had made over 100 attempts to reach the owner of the car but a repair was never completed.In April 2021, Honda said they had confirmed 16 deaths and more than 200 injuries in the U.S. related to Takata air bags. Recall efforts in other countries appeared less consistent than those in the U.S., specifically in Mexico. Sean Kane, president of Safety Research and Strategies Inc., told Bloomberg while the recall system in the U.S. isn’t perfect, the system in other countries is “virtually nonexistent.”Ruy Drisaldi told Bloomberg he was unaware of the Takata air bag recall and risks until the one in his wife’s Honda CR-V exploded and killed her. Drisaldi, who lives in Mexico, said neither he nor his wife has been notified about the recall on the air bag.“Someone needs to be held responsible,” he said. “You buy a car with air bags and assume you’re protected. I now realize all the years we had that car, we were driving with a gun pointed to our heads.”Bloomberg reported Honda repaired 89% of affected cars in the U.S. but just 72% in Mexico – leaving almost 114,000 unrepaired. Toyota Motor Co. has just a 41% repair rate, leaving about 144,000 owners with faulty air bags. General Motors Co. told Bloomberg it’s repaired just 36% of its affected vehicles in Mexico, leaving 213,000 such vehicles unrepaired.At least 37 fatalities and 450 injuries allegedly linked to the air bags have been reported to U.S. auto safety regulators. Nineteen were in the U.S., while the rest were reported worldwide, including in French Guiana, Nigeria, Brazil, Australia, and China, Bloomberg reported.Follow Gabriela Miranda on Twitter: @itsgabbymiranda


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