Government amends Takata airbag recall order, adding more automakers and vehicles.

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Takata Airbag Recall List Just Got Bigger
Government amends Takata airbag recall order, adding more automakers and vehicles.

— The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has amended its order concerning the recalls of tens of millions of Takata airbags by increasing the number of affected automakers and setting new requirements for the recalls.

The amended order requires 19 automakers to expedite repairs of vehicles at the highest risk of airbag ruptures and to accelerate the process of acquiring replacement parts.

A new addition to the recalls is electric automaker Tesla, added to the massive list of vehicles to repair Takata airbags in 2012-2016 Tesla Model S cars. NHTSA also says certain cars made by McLaren and Fisker are now included as part of the amended federal order.

Safety regulators say at least 11 people have been killed and at least 180 injured by Takata airbags in the U.S. alone.

NHTSA estimates there are up to 70 million Takata inflators in 42 million vehicles that will need to be recalled over the next three years, including all frontal airbag inflators that do not include a chemical desiccant that absorbs moisture.

Researchers found a combination of age, moisture and high temperatures cause the ammonium nitrate propellant to degrade and become unstable, causing the propellant to burn too quickly, rupturing the inflator module and sending shrapnel through the airbag and into the vehicle’s cabin.

Although all current recalls involve inflators that don't use a chemical desiccant to absorb moisture, Takata has until the end of 2019 to prove the safety of inflators that do use a desiccant. If the company can't prove those inflators are safe, all airbag inflators that use a desiccant will also be recalled.

NHTSA says as of December 2, 2016, more than 12.4 million recalled Takata airbags have been repaired, with Honda in the lead for the highest percentage of repaired airbags.


Takata Airbag Recall Completion Rates (As of December 2, 2016)

 

BMW

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - 2.61 percent
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 32.41 percent

Chrysler (FCA US)

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - 36.05 percent
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 19.55 percent

Daimler Trucks North America

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - 29.91 percent
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - Not Applicable

Daimler Vans USA

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired  - Not Applicable
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 2.33 percent

Ferrari

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired  - Not Applicable
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 15.58 percent

Ford

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - 19.33 percent
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 28.71 percent

General Motors

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - Not Applicable
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 0.22 percent

Honda

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - 57.54 percent
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 42.62 percent

Mazda

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - 16.96 percent
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 4.18 percent

Mercedes-Benz

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - 0.48 percent
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - Not Applicable

Mitsubishi

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - Not Applicable
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 17.3 percent

Nissan

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - Not Applicable
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 21.98 percent

Subaru

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - Not Applicable
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 19.60 percent

Toyota

  • Driver-side Airbags Repaired - 52.74 percent
  • Passenger-side Airbags Repaired - 28.77 percent

Keep up with the latest Takata news here.