Millions of Vehicles Recalled Due to Defective Air Bags

In June, millions of vehicles were recalled due to possible defective air bags. BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan and Toyota were among the major automobile makers to recall their vehicles. The vehicles had to be recalled due to air bags that could potentially explode. The defective air bags were produced by a Tokyo based manufacturer called Takata.

Takata is a manufacturer that many automobile makers turn to in order to reduce the cost of parts; however, this presents the risk for potential recalls. So far, there have been 10 million vehicle recalls since 2009. The latest of the recalls include 2.9 million vehicles. In a previous blog post, we spoke about the latest recalls General Motors has issued this year. For more information on those recalls, visit our blog here.

There have been at least 6 incidents reported of Takata’s air bags exploding with metal fragments. One incident in the U.S. included a man whose air bag exploded in his Honda Civic where a one-inch piece of metal burst out from the air bag, hitting him in the eye. This caused him to lose sight in his right eye and required 100 stiches because of cuts and scrapes to his face.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began the investigation due to six incidents in Florida and Puerto Rico. It is believed that the humid climate may be to blame for the air bag issues.

Automobile manufacturers are in charge of handling the recalls. This includes letting owners know of the recall and fixing the issue.

If you or someone you know have been injured due to a defect in your vehicle, contact a personal injury attorney.

Source:

The Wall Street Journal, “More vehicles recalled for airbags”