The recent airbag recall surrounding Takata airbags continues to grow in scope as more vehicle manufacturers have come under fire for not immediately recalling all of their products with these potentially deadly defective airbags. Controversy continues to rage over what course of action should be taken to ensure that everyone who is in danger has had his or her car repaired. In the meantime, five people are dead and many others injured due to these faulty airbags.
Drivers in “Humid” States In Most Danger
According to the latest understanding of the Takata airbag problem, drivers in Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Texas residents along the Gulf of Mexico are most likely to experience problems with the airbags. Experts believe that this may be because of the humidity native to these states; this seems to create ideal conditions for the explosion of these airbags on impact. So far, there have been five fatalities linked to flying shrapnel due to exploding airbags along with many more injuries.
Government to Auto Makers: Recalls Inevitable
The government, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, has made it clear to Takata and the five affected automakers that expanding a recall of the air bags is not optional. So far, the companies have taken a targeted approach in their recalls. Even so, more than 7.8 million vehicles have already been affected. Takata has supposedly set aside $750 million for recall expenses, but a wider recall could bankrupt the company. Ford, Mazda, Chrysler, Honda and BMW vehicles are all part of the projected 16 million potential recall.
The Danger of No Recall
While manufacturers are preaching patience, citing the fact that so far none of the airbags they have deployed in random testing has exploded, the fact remains that failure to recall a single vehicle with a Takata airbag could open the companies to massive liability claims if someone is later injured. Therefore, the opinion among many industry experts is that Takata and automakers will have no choice but to eventually recall all vehicles in which the defective Takata airbags have been placed.
Unfortunately, this also presents a danger for owners. If dealers are overrun with recall airbag replacements, it may be difficult for some owners to have their vehicles serviced. This could lead to delays that result in even more tragedy.
How Can I Tell If My Car Has Been Affected?
The simplest way to determine if your car is subject to this or any other recall is to visit the NHTSA’s VIN Lookup Page. Have your VIN handy, which can be located either on the top driver’s side of your dashboard near the windshield or on your driver’s door post. With this number, you can easily identify any applicable recalls for your vehicle as well as find contact information for manufacturers.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident and believe the cause is related to a faulty manufacturer part, contact our law office today at 800.360.7015 or fill out our free case evaluation form for a no cost, no obligation consultation.
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