Recent news about U.S. car recalls because of technical problems with Takata airbags have to be completed with new details from Toyota Motor Corp. that is recalling almost 1.6 million additional vehicles for front passenger side Takata airbag inflators that could rupture.
Faulty Takata inflators have been linked to more than 100 injuries and 13 deaths worldwide. Toyota said the new recall includes some but not all Corolla, Matrix, Yaris, 4Runner, Sienna, Scion xB, Lexus ES, GX and IS vehicles built between 2006 and 2011. This report will be folowed by data from other 17 automakers that are now also recalling Takata vehicles (this listing includes Honda Motor Co., Ford Motor Co. and Fiat Chrysler, Tesla Motors Inc., Fisker Automotive and Jaguar Land Rover).
Last week, Takata filed reports with U.S. auto safety regulators declaring nearly 14 million airbag inflators defective. Malfunctioning Takata airbag inflators can explode with too much force, sending shrapnel into vehicles. Takata agreed to expand recalls by 35 million to 40 million inflators in several tranches through 2019, adding to the 28.8 million recalled before May 4. It is the largest recall in U.S. auto safety history.
