Takata Airbags are Still Plaguing Consumers

Takata Airbags are Still Plaguing Consumers

• October 9, 2024
• Categories: Defective Products

In 2017, Japanese automotive parts company Takata filed for bankruptcy amid a worldwide scandal surrounding its airbags. Flaws in the design of the airbags rendered millions of cars unsafe. According to a January 2024 article by Consumer Reports, the issue has been linked to 26 deaths and more than 400 injuries in the US alone.

Cars containing the defective airbags have been recalled, but some of these vehicles remain on the road. If there’s a possibility you’re driving one of them, it’s imperative that you take action to protect yourself.

How Did the Airbag Failures Happen?

Takata used ammonium nitrate in the airbag inflator device to create a limited explosion that causes the airbag to fill in an accident. But this chemical can degrade over time, particularly if exposed to high humidity and temperatures (which are common in Los Angeles and other warm parts of the country). This process can cause the chemical to burn too quickly, potentially leading to a dangerous explosion.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), around 67 million Takata airbags have been recalled since the issue first arose.

Fatalities Involving Takata Airbags

Officials have recalled car models from 34 brands due to this airbag issue. The problematic safety devices were installed in cars manufactured between 2002 and 2015. However, these recalls can’t force anyone to stop driving a car they’ve already purchased, so there are still vehicles with potentially defective (and potentially deadly) airbags on the road.

In May 2023, the owner of a Dodge Ram 1500 pick-up reportedly became the 38th person worldwide to die because of a Takata airbag. According to the car’s manufacturer, the owner of the car in the crash had received at least six recall notices in the mail prior to the accident.

According to officials, there were over 385,000 recall notices issued in relation Dodge Ram 1500s in 2015. By the time of this fatal crash, around 84,000 of these vehicles had not been brought in for the necessary repairs.

Which Vehicles Are Affected by This Recall?

As Los Angeles personal injury attorneys, we are concerned about the high number of dangerous Takata airbags in circulation on American roads. Take a moment to check at the NHTSA Takata page to determine whether your vehicle is included in the Takata recall. You can do this by entering your vehicle identification number here.

Other Airbag Issues

Takata isn’t the only manufacturer to have released dangerous airbags into the American car market. A number of other similar safety issues have arisen in recent years.

ARC Automotive and Delphi

In September 2023, the NHTSA issued a notice that certain airbags distributed by ARC Automotive and Delphi Automotive contained safety defects related to their airbag inflators.

Like the recalled Takata airbags, these devices can sometimes rupture during deployment, causing metal debris to be scattered through the vehicle at high speed. This could pose major health risks to vehicle occupants.

Potentially affected vehicles include models made by:

• Mercedes-Benz
• Ford
• General Motors
• Hyundai
• Kia
• BMW
• Stellantis
• Porsche
• Toyota
• Volkswagen
• Tesla
• Maserati.

Officials believe that around 52 million of these potentially defective airbags may be currently in use.

Nissan

In 2016, Nissan conducted a recall affecting 3.2 million vehicles in the U.S. for passenger-side airbags that were failing to deploy due to faulty occupant sensors. This recall affected several popular models, including the Sentra, Altima, Leaf, Murano, Pathfinder, and Rogue, among others. This was one among a number of recalls issued by Nissan because of faulty airbag sensors.

Volvo

In 2021, Volvo recalled 460,000 vehicles worldwide from model years 2001 to 2009 due to a non-Takata airbag issue. As was the case with Takata’s faulty airbags, the defect here could cause the airbag inflator to rupture, leading to the expulsion of metal shrapnel in the event of an accident. This recall affected specific models like the Volvo S80 and S60, and the inflators were supplied by Autoliv and ZF.

What Should I Do If My Car Has a Defective Airbag?

If you think you may be affected by any of the issues we’ve discussed here, the first step is to determine whether your vehicle has been recalled. If your vehicle is on a recall list, you should return it to the manufacturer without delay so the issue can be addressed.

Is This a Lemon Law Issue?

At Neale & Fhima, we work on a lot of lemon law cases. California’s lemon law (officially known as the Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act) provides that consumers should not have to shoulder the costs associated with defective cars. If your vehicle develops an issue that affects its use, safety, or value within the first 18 months of ownership or 18,000 miles of driving, you may be able to seek relief via the California lemon law.

If you approach your car’s manufacturer about an airbag defect covered by a recall, they should address the problem and return the car to you. Assuming this intervention works, there should be no need to use the lemon law.

However, if the car has a one-off defect that hasn’t led to a recall, and the manufacturer of the vehicle cannot repair it after a reasonable number of repair attempts, you may have a lemon law claim on your hands.

The law in this area can get complex, so it’s best to speak with a California lemon lawyer if you have any uncertainties.

Contact Neale & Fhima Today for Help With Your Case

Whether you’ve just learned that your vehicle may have a dangerous defect, or you’re recovering from an accident caused by such a defect, it’s imperative that you take action. If the manufacturer of your vehicle is unwilling to take action to remedy your situation, it may be time to speak with a lawyer.

Contact Neale & Fhima today to schedule a free initial consultation, during which we can discuss your options. You can reach us over the phone at 888-407-2955, or you can get in touch via our online contact form.