What is the New Airbag Investigation About?

A new airbag investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking into possibly faulty air bags that are supposed to protect people in 12.3 million vehicles. The NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation initially called its inquiry a probe, but now has upgraded its investigation and expanded efforts, now calling it an “engineering analysis.”

The airbags in question were made by ZF-TRW. An auto parts company in Germany called ZF bought out TRW in 2015, and the subsidiary is now known as ZF-TRW.

What is Wrong with the Airbags?

The computerized central airbag control unit that monitors signals from crash sensors may become damaged by electrical stress at the time of a crash that stops the airbag from deploying, according to the NHTSA.

The central airbag control unit is generally installed on the passenger side of a vehicle and is connected to the crash sensors that sit at the front of the vehicle.

According to Newsweek, some seat belt pretensioners that are intended to automatically tighten to help prevent injuries in a crash also might fail due to the electrical problems with the airbag control units.

Has Anyone Been Hurt or Killed Because of this Potential Defect?

The Associated Press reports the defective airbags have been involved in eight deaths. The NHTSA said the electrical connection failure appeared to be involved in two head-on accidents in which Toyota vehicles were equipped with the ZF-TRW airbags. One of the crashes resulted in a fatality.

What Vehicles Have These ZF-TRW Airbags?

Model years 2010 to 2019 vehicles from Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi, Hyundai, Toyota and Fiat Chrysler are affected. Not all vehicles in all model years are affected. You can see a complete list of possibly affected cars and trucks on our investigation page.

Is This the Same Problem Takata Airbags Had?

No, it is not. The Takata airbags had faulty inflators that could explode and cause injuries to drivers and passengers when sharp metal fragments were hurled at them. However, the Takata airbag issue prompted the NHTSA to look more closely at all airbags after the Takata recall of more than 56 million airbags.

What Airbag Issue Caused Hyundai and Kia Vehicles to be Recalled Last Year?

Hyundai
reported its recalls were because of unprotected wiring that could cause interference with the electrical airbag sensors. Models with this issue included the 2011-13 Hyundai Sonata, the 2011-12 Sonata Hybrid, the 2010-13 Kia Forte and Forte Koup, the 2011-13 Kia Optima, the 2011-12 Optima Hybrid and the 2011-12 Kia Sedona.

Will Automobile Manufacturers Need to Wait for the NHTSA to Finish the Airbag Investigation Before Recalling Vehicles?

The defective airbags go back through several model years and cover a large number of different manufacturers. Consumer Reports safety policy advocate William Willace told the magazine that vehicle manufacturers should not wait for the completion of the airbag investigation by NHTSA before recalling any vehicles due to these airbag issues.

Join a Free Defective Vehicle Airbag Class Action Lawsuit Investigation

If you own a vehicle with a defective ZF-TRW airbag, you may qualify to join this defective airbag class action lawsuit investigation. You don’t need to have been in an accident to participate. See if your vehicle is included by looking it up on our investigation page.

Look Up Your Vehicle

This article is not legal advice. It is presented 
for informational purposes only.