Posted on July 29, 2016
Louisiana readers may have heard about the nationwide recall of certain vehicles due to issues with the airbags. The manufacturer of these airbags, Takata, is facing harsh public backlash due to the company’s lack of cooperation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and unwillingness to initiate a recall. At this point, it is believed that the recall for the defective auto parts affects more than 11 million vehicles.
The airbags, which are found in Toyota, Nissan, Honda and many other types of vehicles, are made with ammonium nitrate. This compound is cheap and widely available but has proved to be unstable. There have have been many reports of these airbags exploding within vehicles, causing at least six deaths. While it is not definitively known what is causing these explosions, it could be related to a high amount of humidity.
Reports of exploding airbags have been reported to the NHTSA for several years. Initially the recall was limited to only passenger-side airbags in high humidity areas of the country, but the recall has been expanded to include millions of possibly affected vehicles. The nature of the recalls and the lack of cooperation from Takata has led to much confusion among possibly at-risk consumers.
If a Louisiana driver has been harmed by a faulty airbag, it is important to seek help immediately. No one should have to suffer because of defective auto parts and the dangers that they pose to unsuspecting drivers and passengers. Faulty car parts are often distributed because of negligence or lack of concern for consumer safety, and those responsible can be liable for any damages that occur.
Source: thecarconnection.com, “Takata’s Tough Week: Honda, Lexus, Nissan, Pontiac, Toyota Add 11.5 Million Cars To Airbag Recalls“, Richard Read, May 19, 2015