Back in September, Honda recalled 14 million of their cars made by the Japanese part supplier company Takata, because the airbags had the potential to explode and injure or even kill vehicle occupants.
The defective airbags didn’t just go into Honda vehicles. They went into a variety of Japanese, American and German-made cars over the years.
Unfortunately, this recall did not happen all at once and has instead been going on for quite some time now, leaving consumers in the dark. Recalls for Takata airbags have been happening off and on for years. Last year, 3.6 million Hondas, BMW’s, Nissans, and other cars were recalled globally due to the issue. Nearly 6.5 million cars were recalled in the five years prior.
Here is a list of the cars affected by the airbag recall.
Cars on this list include: GM, Subaru, BMW, Ford, Honda, Toyota, Chrysler, Mazda, Nissan, and Mitsubishi.
Honda is Takata’s biggest customer, and they have been more impacted by the recall than any other manufacturer.
Why Are the Airbags Defective?
The airbag contains an explosive device in the metal airbag inflater. In the faulty airbags, those devise can burn more aggressively than they should, causing the inflater to burst, sending pieces of metal flying through the airbag fabric. This could potentially kill or seriously injure the occupant of the vehicle.
Has Anyone Been Seriously Injured or Killed?
The New York Times reported that based on complaints, there have been 139 injuries as a result of these defective airbags, and at least 2 people have been killed in Hondas alone.
How Long Has Takata and Automakers Known About This Issue?
In 2004, Honda received the first report of airbag shrapnel deployment. Honda settled several injury claims in court but did not issue a recall until 2008. The car manufacturer told Takata of their airbag problems in 2007.
This is a problem known about for years, but Takata and Honda’s reluctance to make it public probably delayed other automakers from issuing their own recalls.
The New York Times reported that Honda told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration earlier this month that they plan to replace all defective airbag inflaters in their cars nationwide, but only if it’s done by customer request. We urge you to get your car serviced if it is on this list.
If you or a loved one has been seriously injured or killed as a result of the defective Takata airbags, we can help. Contact our experienced attorneys for a free consultation today.
Source: http://jalopnik.com/honda-will-replace-your-defective-takata-airbags-nation-1660403613
Mr. Finkelstein is the Managing Partner of Finkelstein & Partners, LLP. He has become a noted consumer activist through his representation of injured individuals against corporate wrongdoers and irresponsible parties.
An accomplished litigator, Mr. Finkelstein has represented Plaintiffs in wrongful death and catastrophic personal injury cases. He has successfully handled dozens of multi-million dollar cases.