The Takata air bag recall

[kscarbel2]

FYI - The latest and largest Takata air bag recall

The issue involves defective inflator and propellent devices that may deploy improperly in the event of a crash, shooting metal fragments into vehicle occupants. At least 34 million vehicles are potentially affected in the United States, and another 7 million have been recalled worldwide. 

The New York Times has published a report suggesting that Takata knew about the airbag issues in 2004, conducting secret tests off work hours to verify the problem. The results confirmed major issues with the inflators, and engineers quickly began researching a solution. But instead of notifying federal safety regulators and moving forward with fixes, Takata executives ordered its engineers to destroy the data and dispose of the physical evidence. This occurred a full four years before Takata publicly acknowledged the problem.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/07/business/airbag-maker-takata-is-said-to-have-conducted-secret-tests.html?_r=0

Affected U.S. market vehicles:

Acura: 2002–2003, 2009–2014 TL; 2003 CL; 2003–2006 MDX; 2005–2012 RL; 2007–2016 RDX; 2009–2011 TSX; 2010–2013 ZDX; 2013–2016 ILX

Audi (approximately 387,000): 2004–2008 A4; 2005–2011 A6; 2006–2013 A3; 2006–2009 A4 cabriolet; 2009–2012 Q5; 2010–2011 A5 cabriolet; 2015 Q5

BMW (1,968,283): 2000–2011 3-series sedan; 2000–2012 3-series wagon; 2002–2013 3-series coupe and convertible; 2001–2013 M3 coupe and convertible; 2002–2003 5-series and M5; 2003–2004, 2007–2013 X5; 2007–2010 X3; 2008–2013 1-series coupe and convertible; 2008–2011 M3 sedan; 2008–2014 X6; 2013–2015 X1

Buick: 2015 LaCrosse

Cadillac: 2007–2011 Escalade, Escalade EXT, and Escalade ESV; 2015 XTS

Chevrolet (approximately 1.91 million, including Buick, Cadillac, GMC, Saab, and Saturn): 2007–2011 Silverado 1500, Avalanche, Tahoe, and Suburban; 2007–2011 Silverado HD; 2015 Camaro, Equinox, and Malibu

Chrysler: 2005–2012 300; 2006–2007 Crossfire; 2007–2009 Aspen

Daimler: 2006–2009 Dodge Sprinter 2500 and 3500; 2007–2014 Freightliner Sprinter 2500 and 3500

Dodge/Ram (more than 5.64 million, including Chrysler, not including Daimler-built Sprinter): 2003–2008 Ram 1500; 2003–2010 Ram 3500; 2005–2012 Charger; 2005–2010 Magnum; 2005–2011 Dakota; 2004–2009 Durango; 2003–2009 Ram 2500; 2008–2012 Challenger; 2008–2010 Ram 4500 and Ram 5500; 2008–2009 Sterling Bullet 4500 and 5500

Ferrari (2820): 2009–2011 California; 2010–2011 458 Italia

Ford (2,799,546, including Lincoln and Mercury): 2004–2011 Ranger; 2005–2006 GT; 2005–2014 Mustang; 2006–2011 Fusion; 2007–2010 Edge

GMC: 2007–2011 Sierra HD; 2015 Terrain

Honda (approximately 10.7 million, including Acura): 2001–2007 Accord (four-cylinder), 2001–2002 Accord (V-6), 2008–2011 Accord; 2001–2011 Civic; 2002–2011, 2016 CR-V; 2002–2004 Odyssey; 2003–2005 Civic Hybrid; 2003–2011 Element; 2003–2011 Pilot; 2006–2010 Gold Wing motorcycle; 2006–2014 Ridgeline; 2007–2014 Fit; 2010–2011 Accord Crosstour; 2010–2014 FCX Clarity; 2010–2014 Insight; 2011–2015 CR-Z

Infiniti: 2001–2004 I30/I35; 2002–2003 QX4; 2003–2008 FX35/FX45; 2006–2010 M35/M45

Jaguar (approximately 40,000): 2009–2011 XF

Jeep: 2007–2012 Wrangler

Land Rover (approximately 68,000): 2007–2011 Range Rover

Lexus: 2002–2010 SC430; 2006–2011 IS; 2007–2011 ES; 2010–2011 GX

Lincoln: 2006–2011 Lincoln Zephyr and MKZ; 2007–2010 Lincoln MKX

Mazda (more than 733,000): 2003–2011 Mazda 6; 2006–2007 Mazdaspeed 6; 2004–2011 RX-8; 2004–2006 MPV; 2004–2009 B-series; 2007–2011 CX-7 and CX-9

Mercedes-Benz (1,044,602, including Daimler): 2005–2014 C-class (excluding C55 AMG but including 2009–2011 C63 AMG); 2007–2008 SLK-class; 2007–2014 Sprinter; 2009–2012 GL-class; 2009–2011 M-class, 2009–2012 R-class; 2010–2017 E-class sedan, wagon, coupe, and convertible; 2010–2015 GLK-class; 2011–2015 SLS AMG coupe and roadster

Mercury: 2006–2011 Milan

Mitsubishi (more than 105,000): 2004–2007 Lancer and Lancer Evolution; 2006–2009 Raider

Nissan (more than 1,091,000, including Infiniti): 2001–2003 Maxima; 2002–2004 Pathfinder; 2002–2006 Sentra; 2007–2011 Versa

Pontiac (approximately 300,000): 2003–2007 Vibe

Saab: 2003–2011 9-3; 2005–2006 9-2X; 2010–2011 9-5

Saturn: 2008–2009 Astra

Scion: 2008–2011 xB

Subaru (more than 380,000): 2003–2005, 2009–2011 Legacy and Outback; 2004–2011 Impreza; 2005–2006 Baja; 2006–2011 Tribeca; 2009–2011 Forester

Toyota (approximately 4,697,000, including Lexus and Scion): 2002–2007 Sequoia; 2003–2011 Corolla and Corolla Matrix; 2003–2006 Tundra; 2004–2005 RAV4; 2006–2011 Yaris; 2010–2011 4Runner; 2011 Sienna

Volkswagen (680,000): 2006–2010, 2012–2014 Passat; 2009–2014 CC; 2010–2014 Jetta SportWagen and Golf; 2012–2014 Eos; 2015 Tiguan

[gearhead204]

I lived a few miles from Takata ind. in Moses lake Wa . I awoke several times to the sound of a loud explosion, the robots that mix the propellant would get out of sequence and cause an explosion, blowing out a million dollar soft wall in the bunker of which they were placed........and I thought that was severe economic damage, but I don't know how you recoup from a recall of this size!      

[kscarbel2]

14 minutes ago, gearhead204 said:

I lived a few miles from Takata ind. in Moses lake Wa . I awoke several times to the sound of a loud explosion, the robots that mix the propellant would get out of sequence and cause an explosion, blowing out a million dollar soft wall in the bunker of which they were placed........and I thought that was severe economic damage, but I don't know how you recoup from a recall of this size!      

Takata highlights the decline of keiretsu

The Financial Times  /  June 14, 2016

Takata may be reeling from the largest vehicle recall in automotive history, but the components maker’s search for a large investor has generated an unlikely buzz — even before the sale process officially gets under way.

Private equity groups including KKR, Bain Capital, and PAG Asia have shown early interest in the lossmaking Japanese group, while media reports suggest Chinese companies may also be willing to lend a hand. 

But that is pretty much where the good news ends. Investors should be braced for a messy, entangled sale process from here. 

Takata, one of the world’s largest makers of air bags, has been engulfed in crisis following revelations that some of its products explode and spray shrapnel. Its air bags are linked to at least 13 deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide, and US regulators have demanded the recall of more than 60m vehicles fitted with Takata’s products. The cost of replacing these airbags could well exceed ¥1tn.

As well as being a story of one company’s failures, Takata’s downward spiral is testament to the breakdown of Japan’s keiretsu system of close ties between companies.

These arrangements, based on cross shareholdings, allowed both strong and weak companies to grow together, and protected them from hostile bids — particularly from overseas.

This has been a feature of the relationship between Japanese manufacturers and their suppliers, especially in times of trouble.

But the keiretsu system has faded with globalisation and corporate governance reforms that require companies to take greater account of shareholders’ interests.

For example, in March, Sharp was acquired by Hon Hai Precision Industry after one of its main lenders, Mizuho, pushed for Taiwanese investment rather than a bailout by a Japanese government-backed fund.

And when Mitsubishi Motors become embroiled in a scandal involving inflated fuel economy figures in April, it was the Nissan-Renault alliance that offered investment to Japan’s sixth largest carmaker — not members of the Mitsubishi group. 

If it had been a decade ago, Takata, led by chief executive Shigehisa Takada, could have turned to a consortium of Japanese carmakers for help. But any hope of a friendly rescue by the carmakers disappeared in November when Honda, Takata’s biggest customer, turned hostile. Honda publicly accused Takata of manipulating test results for certain vehicles. 

This rejection is hardly surprising when a car buyer’s decision about buying a Honda vehicle may depend on who made the airbags. But the hard stance also underscores the pressure carmakers are feeling from investors over the impact of recalls on profits.

In addition to the fading keiretsu ties, Takata’s appointment of Lazard to find an investor by the autumn signalled to interested private equity firms that the airbag maker is open to a cross-border solution.

But while the door may be open, clinching a deal is a different matter.

It goes without saying that any Takata investor will need sufficient cash to help the company cope with lawsuits and recall costs. Carmakers are expected to shoulder some of the recall expenses, but it is not clear how much.

More importantly, say people involved in the sale process, any investor will need to have a stellar reputation if it is to overhaul Takata’s corporate culture and rebuild its brand from scratch. How many such strategic investors will be out there?

Even with an investor, Takata will find itself in something of a chicken and egg situation. For any investor to be able to inject cash into Takata, it will need assurances from carmakers that they will continue to do business with the company. But for carmakers to do that, they need assurances from Takata that the new products it makes will be safe. 

And the carmakers are not a single entity. Takata’s core customers include more than 10 different carmakers from Japan, Europe and US — and their interests are not aligned.

A new Takata investor will also require the blessing of the Japanese government and US safety regulators.

“Unfortunately, there is no perfect solution. This is an extremely complicated process that cannot be concluded overnight,” says one person involved in the sale process. 

And the longer it takes Takata to find an investor, the greater the risk that the company will not survive its crisis to supply those replacement air bags.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keiretsu

 

[kscarbel2]

11th U.S. death related to Takata airbags reported by Honda

Automotive News  /  October 20, 2016

U.S. regulators and American Honda Motor Co. have confirmed the 11th U.S. fatality linked to a ruptured Takata airbag inflator.

The victim, a 50-year-old woman, died from injuries sustained during the Sept. 30 crash in Riverside County, Calif., which caused the driver-side Takata airbag inflator in her 2001 Honda Civic to rupture, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Honda.

The victim’s vehicle was among the roughly 313,000 model year 2001-2003 Honda and Acura vehicles that NHTSA warned owners in June to stop driving because of a "grave danger" posed by that generation of Takata airbags. That population of vehicles contained Takata inflators that were never replaced under previous recalls and contained a manufacturing defect that elevates the chance that the inflator could rupture in a crash to as much as 50 percent, according to NHTSA. 

According to Honda, the 2001 Civic’s inflator was first recalled in 2008 but never repaired despite more than 20 notices mailed to the registered owners of the vehicle.

The 11th U.S. death adds to the mounting human costs of what has become the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history. At least five more fatalities have been reported globally, according to Reuters. 

Nearly 70 million Takata inflators in U.S. vehicles are or will be recalled through 2019 under a massive recall plan being coordinated by NHTSA.

According to the agency, some 11.4 million Takata recalled inflators had been replaced as of Oct. 7, representing about 36 percent of total number of airbags under recall to-date.

The deadly defect has been linked to at least 100 injuries in the U.S. alone and put Takata under severe financial duress. Takata’s inflator customers have to fled to rival suppliers and its stock price has tanked in the last two years, prompting the supplier to scramble for a buyer. 

Potential sale

Meanwhile, a list of four suitors for the embattled supplier is expected to be reduced to two following a meeting in New York or Detroit at the end of this month.

All 15 of Takata's major customers, including the Detroit 3, Takata executives and its advisory firm Lazard Ltd. and bidders are expected to determine the future of the Japanese supplier.

The meetings are expected to be in New York, but executives from the local automakers asked last week to move the agenda to metro Detroit. 

Suitors for the Tokyo-based supplier of seatbelts and airbags include Michigan-based competitor Key Safety Systems Inc.; Daicel, a Japanese manufacturer of airbag inflators that's jointly bidding with private equity firm Bain Capital; Urbana, Ill.-based supplier Flex 'N Gate and Swedish airbag maker Autoliv Inc.

[david wild]

Did you notice that the trucking company hauling their bags had one of it's trucks crash and blow up killing a person in their house ?? smuck trucking outfit has run illegal from day one and should have been put out of biz years ago, isn't until they kill someone that they are looked at and shut down, their office is 4 miles from ours, I never would even speak to them when I ran into them at the diner, Kill someone because you won't even try to follow the rules, ought to go to prison.

[kscarbel2]

Bloomberg  /  November 4, 2016

Takata Corp. shares were suspended Friday after the Nikkei newspaper reported the air-bag maker is preparing for a possible bankruptcy filing in the U.S.

The shares will be suspended from 8:20 a.m. Japan time, according to the Japan Exchange Group.

A bankruptcy filing by TK Holdings, Takata’s U.S. unit, could help the Tokyo-based company find a buyer and continue supplying parts while seeking an out-of-court reorganization.

[gearhead204]

4 hours ago, grayhair said:

"Takata knew about the airbag issues in 2004, conducting secret tests off work hours to verify the problem. The results confirmed major issues with the inflators, and engineers quickly began researching a solution. But instead of notifying federal safety regulators and moving forward with fixes, Takata executives ordered its engineers to destroy the data and dispose of the physical evidence. This occurred a full four years before Takata publicly acknowledged the problem."  

----------------------------------------------------------------------

How many deaths in the mean time?  Another P.O.S. company.  Gone apparently is the old Japanese sense of honor.  Rhetorical question:  Why hasn't the Japanese government prosecuted and imprisoned the managers of this criminal enterprise.  Manslaughter?  Bankruptcy is too lenient for the managerial scum involved in covering up this known, lethal problem.

my guess that the Japanese have watched the Clintons for too long .......and thought to themselves why die over a business  deal.....that's what attorneys are for!

[kscarbel2]

Takata to plead guilty, pay $1B penalty over airbag defects; 3 former executives indicted

Reuters  /  January 13, 2017

The U.S. government charged Takata Corp. with criminal wrongdoing on Friday in connection with airbag inflator ruptures linked to at least 16 deaths worldwide.

The company was charged with a single felony count of wire fraud. It has agreed to plead guilty to the charge as part of a $1 billion deal with the U.S. Justice Department to resolve a government probe into its handling of the airbag safety defect. The settlement remains subject to judicial approval. 

U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade from the Eastern District of Michigan announced the settlement and indictments on Friday in Detroit. 

To see the plea agreement, click here.

"Automotive suppliers who sell products that are supposed to protect consumers from injury or death must put safety ahead of profits," McQuade said. "If they choose instead to engage in fraud, we will hold accountable the individuals and business entities who are responsible."

"Cheaters will not be allowed to gain an advantage over the good corporate citizens who play by the rules," McQuade said.

“For more than a decade, Takata repeatedly and systematically falsified critical test data related to the safety of its products, putting profits and production schedules ahead of safety,” said Andrew Weissmann, the Justice Department's fraud section chief.  “This announcement is the latest in the automotive industry enforcement actions the Fraud Section has taken to protect U.S. consumers against fraud.”

A federal grand jury separately indicted three former Takata executives for fraud and conspiracy over the defective airbag inflators, which triggered the largest automotive safety recall in U.S. history.

Shinichi Tanaka, 59, Hideo Nakajima, 65, and Tsuneo Chikaraishi, 61 -- all of them Japanese citizens and longtime Takata executives who left the company in 2015 -- were indicted on wire fraud and conspiracy charges for allegedly convincing automakers while at the auto supplier to buy "faulty, inferior, non-performing, non-compliant or dangerous inflators through false reports."

The settlement could help Takata win financial backing from an investor to potentially restructure and pay for massive liabilities from the world's biggest automotive safety recall.

"Reaching this agreement is a major step towards resolving the airbag inflator issue and a key milestone in the ongoing process to secure investment in Takata," Takata CEO Shigehisa Takada said in a statement.

He added that the company "deeply regrets the circumstances that have led to this situation and remains fully committed to being part of the solution."

Seeking extradition

Warrants were issued for their arrest, but the defendants are presumed to be in Japan and do not currently have a date to appear in court. McQuade said the U.S. would work with Japan to seek extradition of the three executives.

"We would like them to stand trial in the U.S.," she said.

The six-count indictment, unsealed on Friday, says the three Takata executives knew around 2000 that the inflators were not performing to automaker's specifications and were failing during testing, but they provided false test reports to automakers. The indictment cited a 2004 email from Nakajima to Tanaka that says he was "manipulating" inflator test data.

The inflators can explode with excessive force, launching metal shrapnel at passengers in cars and trucks. Many of those killed were involved in low-speed crashes that they otherwise may have survived. To date, 11 deaths and least 184 people have been injured in the United States.

"These indictments send a strong message that if company executives knowingly put deadly products on the market, they will be held accountable for their actions," said U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla.

The settlement includes a $25 million criminal fine, $125 million in victim compensation and $850 million to compensate automakers who have suffered losses from massive recalls.

The company has 30 days to pay the $150 million for victim compensation and the criminal fine and then up to a year to pay the rest.

The Justice Department said it had recommended together with Takata that Ken Feinberg, a compensation expert, oversee the automaker and victim compensation funds.

The recalls have affected 19 automakers to date.

Regulators have said recalls would eventually affect about 42 million U.S. vehicles with nearly 70 million Takata airbag inflators, making it the largest U.S. safety ever.

Regulators expect it will take at least another three years to begin all of the recalls; just 12.5 million inflators have been repaired to date.

Independent monitor

The settlement also calls for an independent monitor of the Japanese auto parts manufacturer. It could help Takata win financial backing from an investor to potentially restructure and pay for massive liabilities from the sweeping recalls.

In 2015, Takata admitted in a separate $70 million settlement with U.S. auto safety regulators that it was aware of a defect in its airbag inflators but did not issue a timely recall.

The settlement is expected to include restitution to some victims and automakers, who have been forced to recall millions of vehicles with the defective inflators. All but one of the 11 U.S. deaths have taken place in Honda Motor Co. vehicles. The Japanese automaker and Takata have settled nearly all lawsuits filed in connection with fatal crashes.

Five more deaths from the defective airbags have been reported globally. 

Other investigations

In recent years, the Justice Department has had an unprecedented number of criminal investigations into wrongdoing by automakers and suppliers, reaching major settlements with Toyota Motor Corp., Volkswagen AG, and General Motors.

The antitrust arm of the Justice Department also has executed the largest industrywide price-fixing and bid-rigging prosecution in its history against auto suppliers. Through November, that investigation has prosecuted 47 companies and 65 executives -- yielding more than $2.9 billion in U.S. criminal fines, almost all of them against Japanese auto suppliers. In that probe, Takata agreed to pay a $71.3 million fine for fixing the prices of seat belts in the U.S.

Takata Corp. indictment - http://www.autonews.com/assets/PDF/CA108634113.PDF

Executive indictment - http://www.autonews.com/assets/PDF/CA108635113.PDF

[kscarbel2]

Automakers knew of deadly Takata air bag defects

The Washington Post  /  February 27, 2017

Court documents filed Monday allege that five automakers were aware of defects that caused Takata air bags to potentially harm or kill motorists but continued to use them to save on costs.

The documents filed by lawyers representing victims and their families claim that Honda, Ford, BMW, Toyota and Nissan have known about the issues with the Japanese manufacturer’s air bags for more than a decade but used the air bags anyway because Takata was cheaper than its competitors and could produce the bulk quantities the automakers needed.

The allegations come as Takata entered a guilty plea in a federal courtroom Monday as part of its agreement with the Department of Justice. That deal, reached last month in the final days of the Obama administration, required the company to pay $1 billion in fines and restitution. In December, three Takata executives were indicted on wire fraud charges.

The largest portion of the penalty, $850 million, will be paid to automakers that incurred billions of dollars in expenses recalling vehicles and replacing air bags. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which sets automobile safety standards, recalled more than 64 million air bags in 42 million vehicles, making the Takata recall the largest in U.S. history.

Takata also agreed to set up a $125 million fund for the families and individuals affected by the faulty air bags as part of the Justice Department deal.

The device that inflates Takata air bags was found to explode in certain instances, sending shrapnel into the cabin of the car. The defect has been blamed for 11 deaths and roughly 180 injuries in the United States, according to NHTSA, as well as others around the globe.

The allegations raise new questions about who should shoulder blame for the deaths and injuries the air bags caused.

The agreement reached with the Justice Department claims that Takata deliberately omitted or falsified data to make its air bags appear safer, then passed the doctored information on to automakers. Automakers said in court documents last Thursday that Takata’s  deception should exonerate them of liability.

But the documents filed Monday say automakers nevertheless had independent information that the air bags were faulty and chose to continue installing them in millions of vehicles.

“For the automotive defendants to call themselves victims insults the real victims here — hundreds of people who have been seriously injured or killed by a device that was [supposed] to protect them, and tens of millions of vehicle owners who have been forced to bear the risk of such injury and incurred substantial economic damages,” the documents say.

Attorneys representing people injured by the faulty airbags initially filed their civil lawsuit against Takata and seven different car makers in 2015.

Takata filed its own court update on Monday. The company said its agreement with the Justice Department should have “limited (if any) impact” on the pending civil litigation because it does not address Takata’s liability in the particular case. Although Takata has admitted to providing automakers with false safety information, the company’s agreement “does not stat that this conduct caused the field ruptures and recalls, or the alleged economic harm resulting therefrom.”

Toyota and Ford declined to comment on the accusations. Nissan and BMW did not immediately return requests for comment.

In court documents, lawyers allege that Honda was “intimately involved” with the design of Takata’s air bags and that at least two air bag inflaters ruptured during testing at Honda’s facilities in 1999 and 2000. Honda used the air bags anyway, according to the court documents, and at least 77 air bags ruptured on the road before the company implemented a nationwide recall.

Honda called the allegations that it used the air bags despite safety concerns “categorically false” and pointed to the Takata settlement as evidence that automakers were misled to believe the product met safety standards.

“The reality is that when Honda learned of the risks that these air bag inflaters presented, Honda reacted promptly and appropriately by issuing safety recalls and replacing the affected Takata air bag inflaters at no charge to its customers,” the company said in a statement.

 

[RowdyRebel]

The allegations raise new questions about who should shoulder blame for the deaths and injuries the air bags caused.

I blame the government regulators who are mandating all of this crap. If airbags weren't REQUIRED to be installed by the manufacturers, they would have had the option to say "these things are dangerous, and we're not installing them". They may have even saved enough by doing so to cover extra "upgrades" elsewhere on the vehicle to benefit the consumer and still remain competitively priced. When things are required, though, the mindset is to go with the lowest bidder to conserve resources for the consumer-focused improvements...because spending money you don't need to spend on compliance burns through the budget pretty quick.

 

 

[BillyT]

Just  got a recall notice on my wife's 2012 corolla ! We aren't supposed to let anyone sit in the front passenger seat until Toyota can come up with a solution! The solution would seem simple,replace the damn air bag!

[RowdyRebel]

...or pull the dash and remove the damn thing.

 

Makes me happy that all my vehicles predate the air bag mandate.

[BillyT]

Rowdy, my pickup predates damn near everything! Power steering,power windows etc! I suspect I have the last vehicle in central Florida with manual Windows!

[BillyT]

I just read that Takata and many of the manufacturers Ford for one were aware of the defective air bags as early as 2004!

[kscarbel2]

U.S. says 2.7 million additional Takata inflators to be recalled

Reuters  /  July 11, 2017

WASHINGTON -- The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday that new testing is prompting Takata Corp. to declare 2.7 million airbag inflators defective in Ford Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. vehicles.

Takata airbag inflators are already linked to 17 deaths -- including 11 in the U.S. -- and more than 180 injuries worldwide, and the recalls will eventually cover more than 100 million inflators. The auto safety agency said new testing is prompting the recall of some driver-side airbags built from 2015 back through 2012.

Nissan said it will recall 627,000 Versa cars from 2007-2012 model years, including 515,000 in the United States "out of an abundance of caution." It will notify owners within 60 days with additional instructions.

Ford spokesman John Cangany said the issue covers about 2.2 million Ford vehicles, and the company has five days to respond to the Takata filing. The automaker is "aware of Takata’s submission, and we have been in regular contact with the agency on the issue. Importantly, we aren’t aware of any incidents, and test data doesn’t suggest any issues," he said.

Mazda said the new recall impacts just 6,000 B-series trucks.

More than 65 percent of 46.2 million previously recalled Takata airbag inflators in the U.S. have not been repaired. Takata filed for bankruptcy protection in June.

"Takata has told the public that their line of airbag inflators with moisture absorbent was safe. This recall now raises serious questions about the threat posed by all of Takata’s ammonium nitrate-based airbags," U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said in a statement. "If even more are found to be defective, it will take us from the biggest recall ever to something that could become mind-boggling." 

Nelson has been a leading advocate for expediting the Takata airbag recalls. His state likely has the most drivers at risk because of its consistently warm and humid climate. 

[kscarbel2]

Ford to petition to avoid U.S. recall of 2.5 million vehicles

Reuters  /  July 21, 2017

WASHINGTON -- Ford Motor Co. will petition to avoid a U.S. recall of about 2.5 million vehicles with Takata airbag inflators that the Japanese auto supplier declared defective last week, U.S. regulators and the automaker said Friday.

Separately, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Nissan Motor Co. had agreed to recall 515,394 2007-2011 Versa cars after Takata declared 2.7 million vehicles to have potentially defective inflators.

Ford spokesman John Cangany said the automaker will file a petition requesting "to continue testing and analyzing our inflators." NHTSA said the petition will seek an exemption from the recall because Ford believes the issue is inconsequential.

Ford said the issue covers 2.5 million vehicles, including the 2007-11 Ranger, 2006-12 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ, 2006-2011 Mercury Milan and 2007-10 Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX. Ford previously said it covered about 2.2 million vehicles.

Last week, NHTSA said that new testing prompted Takata to declare inflators defective in Ford, Nissan and Mazda vehicles in some driver-side airbags built from 2012 through 2015.

NHTSA said in a statement Friday that "testing data shows that the propellant in this inflator is degrading and on the path towards potential ruptures in the future. There are no reported ruptures in the real-world or in testing."

Takata airbag inflators are already linked to 17 deaths and more than 180 injuries worldwide, and the recalls will eventually cover about 125 million inflators.

Nissan said last week it would recall 627,000 Versa cars from 2007-2012 model years, including 515,000 in the United States "out of an abundance of caution."

Nissan said testing of 895 inflators showed no ruptures, while one "exhibited an elevated internal pressure." Takata said the inflators potentially could rupture "after several years of exposure to high absolute humidity."

Mazda said last week the issue impacts just 6,000 B-series trucks. The company also plans to file a petition to avoid a recall, NHTSA said.

The automakers have 30 days to submit the petition and then NHTSA will take public comment before making a decision.

More than 65 percent of 46.2 million previously recalled Takata airbag inflators in the United States have not been repaired. The issue is the largest-ever auto-safety recall, covering 17 automakers.

Takata filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in June.

[RowdyRebel]

With Takata in bankruptcy, I can see why the automakers are trying to avoid recalling more vehicles as the cost will not likely be paid for by Takata.  I think the federal regulators ought to bear some responsibility, though, because if not for them do you really think this many vehicles would be equipped with the faulty bags?  NONE of my vehicles have airbags, and one of the first things I'd do if I bought a vehicle that had 'em would be to disassemble the interior and remove them completely...and I've been saying that since air bags first became "standard" features.  This whole recall BS only reinforces my position on the issue.

The government ought to get out of the business of telling people what they HAVE to buy through the regulatory process controlling the manufacturers beyond saying "This ought to be an OPTION."  If people want it, they can buy it...and if they DON'T want it, they shouldn't be forced to buy it just because they want something new.  I guess it's probably a good thing that I like older stuff, and will build/modify ANYTHING I buy (new or old) to suit my needs, wants, and desires.  Once my name is on the title, I couldn't care less what the government has to say about what features my vehicles should or shouldn't have installed.

[BillyT]

I just read that Takada and many of the manufacturers Ford for one were aware of the defective air bags as early as 2004! In one way I agree with Rowdy Rebel! My beloved 25 year old Isuzu pickup didn't have airbags to begin with! And I disabled every single piece of emissions b.s. and added a Weber pre-emissions carburetor (illegal in California!) And a catalytic converter free straight exhaust! I did however retain the pc v valve which is necessary for removal of crankcase fumes! The result is a vehicle with instant throttle response that starts on the 1st half turn! Having said that I do believe in air bags having been in the emergency towing business prior to the advent of air bags, and knowing their value! My wife's 2012 corolla, built in America and Canada is involved in the Takata recall! Toyota sent us a letter saying to not use the front passenger seat! There has been little concern by Toyota in my opinion to resolve this situation! One of my automotive publications,reported that they would " rent you a car" if you complained! After all we did buy a five passenger car! The only correspondence we receive from Toyota is several letters a year saying they suddenly have a need for 2012 corolla trade ins on a new Toyota this started when the car was a year old ! LOL

 

 

 

[BillyT]

Interesting isn't it that vw has to buy back the diesels that were modified to pass emissions, but the companies who installed the proven deadly air bags don't have to do anything! The latest thing I read was that some of these cars also have steering wheel air bags by takata! This effectively disables the car,unless you want to risk death ! Why doesn't the govt take enough money from takatas fine to render the cars ( of whatever make) safe to drive! 

[BillyT]

Also if the passenger side airbag is unsafe why aren't all the steering wheel airbags unsafe ? Unless the steering wheel airbag is somehow resistant to moisture! Or are they just saying to only not use the passenger seat to avoid having to totally disable the car! What if a person has only one car and needs to go to work and so on!

[TeamsterGrrrl]

Take note- We have historic agreement between the righties and the lefties here on BMT- Airbags were a bad idea! Airbags were forced on us because Nader, Claybrook, and "safety" nazis wanted to protect people too dumb to wear seatbelts from their own stupidity. So we seatbelt users have to pay for airbags we'll never need. Worse yet, the airbags are actually causing injuries and death all by themselves, and are especially harmful to short and disabled drivers! And while felony arrest warrants are out for VW employees whose TDIs harmed no one, Joan Claybrook and Ralph Nader are still on the loose, oblivious to all the people their beloved airbags have killed!

[BillyT]

Teamster Grrrl, good point! The first car I drove legally was a 51 merc coupe,no seatbelts ! My dad and I installed a pair of aftermarket belts! In the front! We have had people "protecting us from ourselves" for decades! Claybrook was the flaming idiot who suggested they put a reflective ring around big truck concave mirrors "so we would know they weren't flat"! So much for her respect for truckers on general! I forgot all about her,supposedly learned to drive trucks on a farm in the Dakotas proving that the common sense that most Midwestern farmers possess doesn't necessarily rub off! Wouldn't be surprised if she had something to do with the " incompetence mitigation" devices that we are all paying for in the price of new cars and even big trucks! Unbelievably, or maybe not, every week at least two people in the Tampa bay area are killed or seriously injured when they are ejected from a vehicle in a relatively minor crash because they didn't "buckle up!", usually teenagers, suffering from "immortality syndrome" but sometimes people old enough to know better!

[BillyT]

Also, let's not forget our friends in the insurance lobby for the growing list of federally mandated features all new cars are required to have! DRL s (you can't turn on your own headlights?) I believe That automatic braking and lane drift technology are on the new list! I do believe in rear cameras however, even the most defensive driver can't see a three foot tall toddler that got loose from mom and dad and ran behind the vehicle! I recall a tragic incident a couple years ago where a congressman backed over his grandchild!

[kscarbel2]

4 minutes ago, BillyT said:

Also, let's not forget our friends in the insurance lobby for the growing list of federally mandated features all new cars are required to have! DRL s (you can't turn on your own headlights?) I believe That automatic braking and lane drift technology are on the new list! I do believe in rear cameras however, even the most defensive driver can't see a three foot tall toddler that got loose from mom and dad and ran behind the vehicle! I recall a tragic incident a couple years ago where a congressman backed over his grandchild!

Billy, daylight running lamps (DRL) have never been federally mandated.

It was GM that pushed it, not the insurance companies.

The United States does not require DRLs. But, if voluntarily equipped, DRLs are required to comply with the requirements specified in Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment.” The provision covering the voluntary installation of DRLs in passenger vehicles was incorporated into FMVSS No. 108 in January 1993 in response to a General Motors (GM) petition to permit, but not require, DRLs. The DRL performance requirements resolve conflicts among State laws that inadvertently prohibited certain forms of daytime running lights and harmonizing with Canadian DRL requirements.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daytime_running_lamp

https://crashstats.nhtsa.dot.gov/Api/Public/ViewPublication/811029

 

[fjh]

WE have had DRL for ever in canada ! No big deal!

And yup My Honda CRV no body can sit there either same scenario !

But  just thought I'D fly this out there! With All the hoopla over cell phones and distracted driving Bla Bla Bla! But literally  ALL the Auto makers Are putting in dash distractions in the dash now and its ALLOWED I'd much rather have someone Talking on a cell phone , than texting or looking at GPS and the like on the dash-mounted computer screen! They are creating more stupid people enabling  them in art of stupidity by putting this crap in the dash! Half of them are barely looking over the hood!