Problem is related to an ammonium-nitrate-based propellant

The number of vehicles that are subject to Takata Airbag recall has grown to 53 million. It is an unheard of number , and it is the largest recall of automobiles ever in U.S. history. These airbags are defective because of a defective propellant device and an inflator. Inflators that are deflated can blast metal fragments into the compartments of passengers, severely injuring passengers. The recall was designed to stop this from occurring.

Takata airbag victims and future claimants

In April of 2013, Takata issued a recall of its airbags. after that, Toyota and the other major automakers were also affected. When approached by NHTSA the company acknowledged that it didn’t know the vehicles that had Takata airbags and did not know what caused the issue. The company also imposed regional recalls for high-humidity areas and NHTSA has demanded the removal of the affected components.

The problem is related to an ammonium-nitrate-based propellant employed by Takata. The propellant is not compatible with the drying chemical that is used to stop the airbag over-inflating. The airbags may explode in humid, hot conditions, releasing metal shrapnel into the interior. The NHTSA has issued recalls of more than fifty million Takata airbags and reported many fatalities and injuries. The recall has forced automakers to change many of the airbags on their vehicles and also their parts.

Despite the issues, Toyota and other manufacturers have committed to a zero-hassle repair with the damaged Takata airbags. In October of 2018 the automakers have all recalled Takata airbags. The company is trying in order to make this process as easy as it is. If you have an Takata airbag, call the company for more information about their no-hassle replacement. They’ll pay for the replacement and provide you with a replacement in the event of a need.

In the last year nearly a dozen automakers have announced they will not use Takata airbag inflators on their automobiles. Although Honda has been a long-time one of their largest customers, they have recently decided to end its purchase of Takata inflatable airbags. Mazda as well as Toyota are also looking at changing their inflators to different brands. They make up 40 percent of Takata airbags sold on the market.

The NHTSA has launched a second investigation into Takata airbags and this time, it is focusing upon Honda and Acura automobiles. The vehicles in question have a higher chance of breaking during the use of the airbag and currently there are nine deaths that are attributed to the defective airbags. Additionally, Acura and Honda have declared that they will be launching an uninvolved campaign to inform users of airbag recalls with open airbags.

The government is working to stop the spreading of airbags. In the process, Takata has expanded the recall to cover more vehicles. As of October it was estimated that more than 34 million vehicles were affected by Takata airbags. In addition it is estimated that the Takata airbags have been on the market for more than 10 years and are susceptible to fail. This is why authorities from U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration as well as Japanese officials are calling for a wider recall.