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U.S. probing 30 million vehicles over Takata airbag inflators (again)

The new 2021 investigation covers cars from a dozen-plus major automakers

David Shepardson, Reuters
Sep 20, 2021  •  September 20, 2021  •  2 minute read  •  Join the conversation
A deployed airbag is seen in a 2001 Honda Accord. The largest automotive recall in history centres around the defective Takata airbags that are found in millions of vehicles manufactured by BMW, Chrysler, Daimler Trucks, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota.
A deployed airbag is seen in a 2001 Honda Accord. The largest automotive recall in history centres around the defective Takata airbags that are found in millions of vehicles manufactured by BMW, Chrysler, Daimler Trucks, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota. Photo by Getty

U.S. auto safety investigators have opened a new probe into 30 million vehicles built by nearly two dozen automakers with potentially defective Takata airbag inflators, a government document seen by Reuters on Sunday showed.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Friday opened an engineering analysis into an estimated 30 million U.S. vehicles from the 2001 through 2019 model years. Automakers were alerted to the investigation, which is not yet public.

The new investigation includes vehicles assembled by Honda, Ford, Toyota, General Motors, Nissan, Subaru, Tesla, Ferrari, Mazda, Daimler, BMW, Chrysler (now part of Stellantis), Porsche, Jaguar Land Rover (owned by Tata Motors), and others.

The automakers on Sunday either declined to comment before NHTSA’s expected public announcement on Monday, or did not immediately respond to requests for comment. NHTSA declined to comment.

The 30 million vehicles include both vehicles that had the inflators installed when they were manufactured as well as some inflators that were used in prior recall repairs, NHTSA said in the document.

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Over the last decade, more than 67 million Takata air bag inflators have been recalled in the United States – and more than 100 million worldwide – in the biggest auto safety callback in history because inflators can send deadly metal fragments flying in rare instances.

There have been at least 28 deaths worldwide, including 19 in the United States tied to faulty Takata inflators and more than 400 injuries.

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The 30 million vehicles that are part of the new investigation have inflators with a “desiccant” or drying agent. According to the document, NHTSA said there have been no reported ruptures of vehicles on the roads with air bag inflators with the drying agent.

“While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators,” NHTSA said in opening its engineering analysis seen by Reuters. “Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators.”

Earlier this year, NHTSA said of the 67 million recalled inflators, approximately 50 million have been repaired or are otherwise accounted for.

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