Japanese airbag manufacturer Takata Corp. is expected to additionally recall around 40 million additional inflators in U.S. vehicles. The expanded recall will be phased in over several years and more than double what is already the largest and most complex auto safety recall in U.S. history.
After the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reviewed findings from three outside investigations concerning the defective airbag inflators, Takata had to work on a plan for the expanded callback. The inflators contain propellant that can deploy with too much force and rupture its metal container, spraying vehicle occupants with metal shards. The defect has been linked to 10 deaths in the U.S. and more than 100 injuries.
To date, 14 automakers, led by Honda Motor Co., have recalled 24 million U.S. vehicles with 28.8 million inflators due to the risk that they can explode with too much force and spray metal shards inside vehicles. The new recall is expected to include about 35 million passenger-side airbags and some driver-side airbags without a drying agent. It is also expected to include some airbags that were previously replaced that did not have a drying agent. The recall expansion leaves open the question of whether about 50 million inflators - including 18 million side inflators and about 32 million frontal and side airbags with drying agents.
The prospect of increasing recall costs has prompted Takata to look for a financial backer.
