The size of the Takata airbag recall will more than double in size... again. An additional 40 million vehicles may be affected, bringing the total to approximately 69 million. Takata airbag inflators that don't include a desiccant can take on moisture, potentially causing a deadly shrapnel misfire problem.
Here is the release at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind is calling this "the largest recall in American history".
NHTSA and its independent expert reviewed the findings of three independent investigations into the Takata air bag ruptures and confirmed the findings on the root cause of inflator ruptures. A combination of time, environmental moisture and fluctuating high temperatures contribute to the degradation of the ammonium nitrate propellant in the inflators. Such degradation can cause the propellant to burn too quickly, rupturing the inflator module and sending shrapnel through the air bag and into the vehicle occupants.
"The science clearly shows that these inflators become unsafe over time, faster when exposed to humidity and variations of temperature," Rosekind added. "This recall schedule ensures the inflators will be recalled and replaced before they become dangerous, giving vehicle owners sufficient time to have them replaced before they pose a danger to vehicle occupants. NHTSA will continue to evaluate all available research and will act quickly to protect safety."
Look up your car here (Javascript required).
Previously:
Takata Airbag Defect Leads to Largest Automotive Recall in U.S. History
Takata Denies Reported $24 Billion Cost of Airbag Recall
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Japanese airbag manufacturer Takata has doubled estimates of the number of vehicles affected by an airbag defect to 34 million. Moisture can infiltrate the defective airbags, which causes the chemical propellant inside to ignite too quickly, breaking the inflator and sending "metal shards into the passenger cabin that can lead to serious injury or death." The airbags have been linked to six deaths and over 100 injuries.
The NHTSA's Recalls Spotlight site asks owners to use a VIN search tool for up to several weeks after the announcement of the recall. Models affected include cars from Acura/Honda (5.5 million), BMW (765,000), Chrysler/Dodge/Ram (2.88 million), Ford (538,977), Infiniti/Nissan (1,091,000), Toyota/Lexus/Pontiac (1,514,000), Mazda (330,000), Mitsubishi (11,985), Saab, and Subaru (17,516).
(Numbers are subject to change.)
A Bloomberg report that cited an estimated $24 billion total cost for a global recall of as many as 287.5 million faulty airbag inflators has been denied by Takata Corporation:
Takata Corp has denied it has calculated the cost of the global recall of its faulty airbags, after a report alleged it could be as much as 2.7 trillion yen ($24bn; £16.7bn). On Wednesday Bloomberg reported the figure citing unnamed sources.
Takata has acknowledged some airbag inflators explode with too much force and spray metal shrapnel into the car. The fault has been linked to the loss of ten lives globally, according the US traffic safety authority. Takata's shares plunged 20% after the report which called it the "auto industry's biggest recall ever", but were in positive territory on Thursday. "We have not announced anything to the effect of the report, and it is untrue that we have calculated the estimated costs (of the recall)," the Tokyo-based company said in a statement.
Previously: Takata Airbag Defect Leads to Largest Automotive Recall in U.S. History
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 05 2016, @06:33AM
"I despise the Springfield Shopper. All the headlines are jokes."
(Score: 3, Interesting) by snick on Thursday May 05 2016, @01:22PM
Another death has been linked to recalled Takata airbags. Late last month a 17-year-old driver of a 2002 Honda Civic died from an injury caused by the deployment of an airbag during a rear-end collision. [autoweek.com]
Lovely of Honda to urge me to take part in the recall, and then notify me that the part won't be available 'till summer.
(Score: 2) by iwoloschin on Thursday May 05 2016, @03:35PM
If you've gotten a recall notice from Honda bring your car into a local dealer and get a rental. They've "upgraded" me from a 2009 Honda Fit to a 2015 Toyota Camry. Granted, it was a huge pain in the ass, but better than having my neck slit. Ironically, this whole fiasco has me now convinced that I won't buy another Honda car anytime soon...though I doubt I'd buy a Camry either.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 05 2016, @05:33PM
Are they really eating the cost of loaning you a car for months while you wait until summer for the parts?
That seems hard to believe.
(Score: 1, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 05 2016, @04:52PM
The traditional propellant is sodium azide. From that you get nitrogen (OK though not life-sustaining) and atomized sodium (flammable and turns to lye in your lungs/eyes). Any leftover azide is highly toxic.
These ones use ammonium nitrate. From that you get nitrogen, water, and oxygen. There is enough oxygen to support life. Leftover ammonium nitrate isn't that bad for you; you could probably season your soup with it and not have problems.
(Score: 2) by takyon on Thursday May 05 2016, @07:08PM
Are they phasing out the ammonium nitrate completely? Or just weak inflators and inflators without desiccants?
[SIG] 10/28/2017: Soylent Upgrade v14 [soylentnews.org]
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday May 05 2016, @09:39PM
It seems that most or all devices with ammonium nitrate were bad, and that there might be a ban on ammonium nitrate as a result. I sure hope not.
I'd rather not have a desiccant. That just delays the problem. It's better to seal things well.
(Score: 1) by nitehawk214 on Friday May 06 2016, @12:01AM
When I was getting my car inspected yesterday the service guy at the dealership he asks if I knew my vehicle was subject ot the recall. I told him I saw the letter, can I get it done today. "Oh no, we have no idea when we will be able to replace it. Do you want a free rental?"
I get the feeling that dealers simply don't give a shit about this. Maybe I should have taken the loaner and driven it into the ground just for pissing around on this.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 1) by nitehawk214 on Friday May 06 2016, @12:03AM
I also have a feeling that since they notified people they are absolved of any wrongdoing if the thing fails and kills someone else.
Since it seems they are intentionally dragging their feet on this, my guess is this wont hold up in court well.
"Don't you ever miss the days when you used to be nostalgic?" -Loiosh
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday May 06 2016, @01:03AM
It's possible there is some foot dragging. On the other hand, making new airbags to fit all these older cars takes time to tool up. The originals were probably ordered a year or more before they were delivered to the car assembly plant...(no data on this timing, just an educated guess).
It's also possible that Takata will go out of business and some other supplier will have to make some of the replacements.