Takata will be held responsible for defective airbag inflations
Honda has added 21 million vehicles in the Takata Airbag recall. More than 51 million vehicles globally are being recalled because of the issue. It is not known how many vehicles are affected in the United States. According to the New York Times report, the exact number of affected cars in the United States remains unknown. You might want to consider buying a used vehicle if you’re in search of a new car.
Takata Airbags were involved in a recent Japan Nissan X-Trail collision. The airbag deployed too forcefully, smashing into the passenger-side window. The high-temperature particles flew through and into the dashboard. The airbag caught fire when the fire started. Fortunately, the driver suffered only minor injuries. The bad news is not over. Honda has launched a voluntary advertising campaign in response to the Takata Airbag recall to remind customers to check their airbags for any defects.
The lawsuit was filed in Lafayette, Louisiana at the U.S. District Court. 22-year-old victim, who was 22, was killed after the driver’s side airbag burst while her car was striking a telephone pole. She claims she was given the recall notice 4 days prior to her death. Her death was the seventh to be attributed solely to Takata Airbags. The consequences of airbag ruptures for passengers and drivers are severe.
The company concealed the results of defective airbag inflator tests and destroyed evidence before 2000. According to the lawsuit a Takata executive ordered the failure components to be “discarded” in order to cover up the issue. He also fabricated a report. The issue has now caused 12 million recalls worldwide.
The company admits that the inflators used to inflate cars can be dangerous and can cause injuries or even death. The company has also increased its recalls from the regional to the national level, recalling 17 millions vehicles. To settle the lawsuit, the company paid $14,000 more per day. NHTSA has also issued a record civil penalty to Takata in the amount of $200 million. Takata must stop producing inflators that use the hazardous propellant ammonium-nitrate. Further, the company will have to prove the safety of its inflators as well as determine the causes of the ruptures.
Toyota has extended its recall of the Takata Airbag, which infected almost one million vehicles in America. The recall includes passenger-side airbags in Toyota Corolla and Matrix models, including the 2010 Corolla and Matrix, Lexus ES, GX, Lexus IS, Lexus IS and 2011 Scion xB. The automaker has also agreed to replace inflators made by non-Takata manufacturers to improve the safety of passengers and drivers.