Christina Spicer  |  April 22, 2021

Category: Legal News

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Takata Airbag Implicated in 19th Death in United States

The notorious Takata airbag, subject to one of the largest vehicle safety recalls in history, has claimed another life, bringing the total number of deaths attributed to the defect in the United States to 19.  

On Wednesday, Honda reported that it had confirmed a death caused by a defective airbag inflator in the vehicle. The automaker’s joint inspection with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of a 2002 Honda Accord reportedly confirmed that the Takata airbag inflator on the driver’s side ruptured, resulting in a fatality in South Carolina on Jan. 9, 2021.  

The Honda Accord had been under a Takata airbag recall since 2011, reports Autoblog.com. More than 100 attempts were made to reach the owners of the vehicle involved in the fatal crash, according to Honda, but the repair was never made. The automaker also said that the driver who was killed was not the registered owner of the Accord.  

Takata Airbag Recalls 

Indeed, the most notorious airbag recall concerns Takata. Vehicles from 19 different automotive makers spanning over 10 years have been included in the Takata airbag recalls 

In addition to at least 28 deaths attributed to defective Takata airbag inflators worldwide, more than 400 injures have also been caused by the part, reports Autoblog.com.  

The Takata airbag defect is caused by the phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) desiccated airbag inflators used in the recalled Takata airbags may degrade over time, according to the NHTSA. This degradation may occur more rapidly in environments with high heat and humidity.  

The Takata defect can reportedly result in inflators rupturing, sending metal shards like shrapnel into the air in the event of a crash.  

The NHTSA reports that approximately 67 million airbags are included in the recalls and that number continues to grow with more than 150,000 vehicles recalled by Ford due to Takata defects.  In total, Takata airbag recalls span vehicles made by 19 different auto manufacturers between 2001 and 2019.  

Approximately 17 million vehicles with unrepaired Takata airbags are still potentially on the road, reports Autoblog.com.  

Consumers can check to see if their vehicles have been recalled for a Takata airbag or another safety defect by visiting the NHTSA website and entering their 17-digit vehicle identification number. Consumers who have not yet gotten their car with a defective Takata airbag repaired should contact a dealership as soon as possible, according to the NHTSA. The repair is free under the Takata recall agreement; however, some repairs have been delayed due to the high volume.  

Has your vehicle been affected by a Takata airbag recall? What happened? Tell us about it in the comment section below! 

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