NHSTA announces expanded recall of additional 40 million Takata airbags inflators
On Wednesday, May 4, 2016, the United States Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) hosted a press conference announcing the urgent recall of 40 million faulty airbag inflators, in addition to the 28.8 million inflators, already recalled, adding to what was already the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. History.
The massive recall will be completed in five phases beginning now, May 2016 through December 2019. The recall phases are risk driven factoring age of inflators, humidity exposure and temperatures. The priority factors were issued based on independent research, finding that the root cause of the fatal ruptures are a result of environmental exposure and fluctuating temperatures in combination with the violent explosives.
The recall was announced shortly after reports of two deaths were caused by of the overly aggressive airbags in Malaysia.
Beginning in late 2014, Motley Rice conducted its own independent testing of Takata airbags, which was covered by CBS Evening News. At that time, that testing was able to replicate the ruptures and indicated that moisture within the airbag canister was involved.
Motley Rice continues to represent and be contacted by people who are believed to have suffered injuries as a result of a faulty Takata airbag.
Watch a Takata airbag rupture and learn more about Takata airbag lawsuits.