7 questions about the Takata air bag recall
DETROIT — Takata has filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan and the U.S., leaving consumers to wonder about the status of the recall of about seventy million defective air bag inflators in the U.S. and another thirty million worldwide.
The inflators, which pack up air bags in the event of a crash, can explode with too much force and spew metal shrapnel. At least sixteen deaths worldwide and more than one hundred eighty injuries are blamed on the inflators.
The U.S. government says about thirty eight percent of the recalled inflators have been substituted. Takata says in Japan the figure is closer to seventy percent. Data for other countries wasn’t available.
Takata air bag recall now the largest in U.S. history
What car owners need to know about the massive recall:
Will the recalls proceed?
Yes. Automakers are ultimately responsible for the safety of their vehicles, and they have been funding the recalls.
Takata’s assets are expected to be sold for $1.6 billion to a rival company, Key Safety Systems, and part of Takata will remain under a different name to make replacement inflators for the recalls. Money from the sale will go to pay claims against Takata, including a court-ordered $850 million that will reimburse automakers for their recall expenses.
How can I find out if my car has been recalled?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a accomplish list of models covered by current and future Takata recalls. The utter list can be found on the agency’s website. The government’s website also permits drivers to search for open recalls. Owners should input the car’s vehicle identification number, or VIN, which can be found on the title or registration card, or on the driver’s side dash or door jamb. The VIN check page will be updated as automakers announce more recalls.
Cars and trucks made by nineteen companies are included in the recall.
What’s wrong with these air bags?
Three independent reports concluded that the chemical Takata uses to inflate its air bags — ammonium nitrate — can degrade after long-term exposure to environmental moisture and high temperatures. If the ammonium nitrate degrades substantially, it can cause the inflators to become overpressurized and rupture during air bag deployment.
In the air bags being recalled, Takata didn’t use a chemical desiccant, a drying agent that can counteract the effects of moisture.
Dealer takes on auto industry over selling recalled cars
Which cars are most at risk?
The government says vehicles junior than six years old aren’t presently at risk of an air bag inflator rupture even if they’re in a high humidity region, because it takes time for the ammonium nitrate to degrade. But the risk grows as the vehicle ages.
How long will I have to wait for a replacement?
That varies by model, age of the car and manufacturer. For many models, dealers have ample parts in stock. Yet only about sixteen million of the sixty nine million inflators had been substituted as of the end of April.
Parts aren’t yet available for some models, and other models haven’t been recalled yet. More recalls are coming as more parts are made. Some Takata replacement inflators will have to be substituted again because they don’t have the drying agent. Other manufacturers are also supplying replacement air bags.
Remaining recalls are being phased in through the end of 2020. The phases are based on the age of the vehicles and exposure to high humidity and high temperatures. Owners will be notified when a remedy is available and should get the repair instantaneously.
Some automakers are suggesting loaner cars until replacement parts are available.
How can I see if a used car has had the recall repair?
Dealers can legally sell used cars without notifying customers about open recalls. The government’s VIN search goes back fifteen years, so check the NHTSA website. Carfax, which sells vehicle history reports, also lets people check open recalls for free.
Should I disable my air bag while I’m waiting for a repair?
No. If you’re in a crash, it’s far more likely that the air bag will protect you than hurt you. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that front air bags have saved 43,000 lives since they were required in the 1990s.
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7 questions about the Takata air bag recall – CBS News
7 questions about the Takata air bag recall
DETROIT — Takata has filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan and the U.S., leaving consumers to wonder about the status of the recall of about seventy million defective air bag inflators in the U.S. and another thirty million worldwide.
The inflators, which pack up air bags in the event of a crash, can explode with too much force and spew metal shrapnel. At least sixteen deaths worldwide and more than one hundred eighty injuries are blamed on the inflators.
The U.S. government says about thirty eight percent of the recalled inflators have been substituted. Takata says in Japan the figure is closer to seventy percent. Data for other countries wasn’t available.
Takata air bag recall now the largest in U.S. history
Takata adds forty million more air bags to ongoing recall; businesses hired at a slower rate in April; and Blue Bell is recalling ice juices due to m.
What car owners need to know about the massive recall:
Will the recalls proceed?
Yes. Automakers are ultimately responsible for the safety of their vehicles, and they have been funding the recalls.
Takata’s assets are expected to be sold for $1.6 billion to a rival company, Key Safety Systems, and part of Takata will remain under a different name to make replacement inflators for the recalls. Money from the sale will go to pay claims against Takata, including a court-ordered $850 million that will reimburse automakers for their recall expenses.
How can I find out if my car has been recalled?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a accomplish list of models covered by current and future Takata recalls. The total list can be found on the agency’s website. The government’s website also permits drivers to search for open recalls. Owners should input the car’s vehicle identification number, or VIN, which can be found on the title or registration card, or on the driver’s side dash or door jamb. The VIN check page will be updated as automakers announce more recalls.
Cars and trucks made by nineteen companies are included in the recall.
What’s wrong with these air bags?
Three independent reports concluded that the chemical Takata uses to inflate its air bags — ammonium nitrate — can degrade after long-term exposure to environmental moisture and high temperatures. If the ammonium nitrate degrades substantially, it can cause the inflators to become overpressurized and rupture during air bag deployment.
In the air bags being recalled, Takata didn’t use a chemical desiccant, a drying agent that can counteract the effects of moisture.
Dealer takes on auto industry over selling recalled cars
A "CBS This Morning" investigation found used cars with faulty Takata airbags and other serious defects are still for sale around the country. No.
Which cars are most at risk?
The government says vehicles junior than six years old aren’t presently at risk of an air bag inflator rupture even if they’re in a high humidity region, because it takes time for the ammonium nitrate to degrade. But the risk grows as the vehicle ages.
How long will I have to wait for a replacement?
That varies by model, age of the car and manufacturer. For many models, dealers have ample parts in stock. Yet only about sixteen million of the sixty nine million inflators had been substituted as of the end of April.
Parts aren’t yet available for some models, and other models haven’t been recalled yet. More recalls are coming as more parts are made. Some Takata replacement inflators will have to be substituted again because they don’t have the drying agent. Other manufacturers are also supplying replacement air bags.
Remaining recalls are being phased in through the end of 2020. The phases are based on the age of the vehicles and exposure to high humidity and high temperatures. Owners will be notified when a remedy is available and should get the repair instantaneously.
Some automakers are suggesting loaner cars until replacement parts are available.
How can I see if a used car has had the recall repair?
Dealers can legally sell used cars without notifying customers about open recalls. The government’s VIN search goes back fifteen years, so check the NHTSA website. Carfax, which sells vehicle history reports, also lets people check open recalls for free.
Should I disable my air bag while I’m waiting for a repair?
No. If you’re in a crash, it’s far more likely that the air bag will protect you than hurt you. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that front air bags have saved 43,000 lives since they were required in the 1990s.
