Five automakers now being investigated by NHTSA for airbag woes

[87accordlxi]

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Chrysler, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota


It appears that Toyota's renotification to owners of recalled vehicles from last year is just the tip of the iceberg for what could potentially be a much larger industry-wide recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening a preliminary evaluation investigation into roughly 1.1 million vehicles from Chrysler, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota and parts supplier Takata regarding faulty airbag inflators in several models.

NHTSA has received six reports - three directly, two from Takata and one from Toyota - of vehicles with ruptured airbag inflators from 2002-2006, which resulted in three injuries. So far, all six incidents have occurred in high humidity areas like Florida and Puerto Rico. According to Toyota's latest recall announcement, the inflators may have an improper propellant that could cause it to rupture in a crash and the bag to deploy abnormally.

This new investigation follows a previous recall from April 2013 of about 3.4 million vehicles worldwide for the airbag inflators from Takata. As Autoblog reported, Toyota jumpstarted the new situation when it found that the original list of serial numbers for the faulty part was incomplete and discovered more cars in need of replacement. Honda and Nissan told us that they were investigating whether further models would need called in again as well. Mazda told Autoblog: "Regarding the current Takata situation, we're working closely with NHTSA and investigating the situation, but nothing else to report at this time." Chrysler Group responded to us with the statement: "Chrysler Group engineers are conducting the appropriate analysis. The Company will cooperate fully with the National Highway Traffic Administration."

According to The Detroit News, the previous Takata inflator recall possibly stemmed from a manufacturing defect at the company's Washington state factory. The parts also could have been exposed to moisture at its facility in Mexico.

At this time, NHTSA's investigation is still in the early stages. It's still determining from the automakers and supplier how widespread the problem is and what models are involved. Scroll down to read the entire preliminary evaluation report.Continue reading Five automakers now being investigated by NHTSA for airbag woes
Five automakers now being investigated by NHTSA for airbag woes originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 12 Jun 2014 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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[Dr_Snooz]

This has always been my worst fear about airbags. They are basically bombs aimed at your face. Whenever I'm leaning over to change the radio station, I'm thinking "if the airbag screwed up and deployed now, I'd be dead." I'll stick with seat belts, thanks.

[87accordlxi]

I've been in one accident, and the airbags deployed. I was fine except for scratches on my face and eye - from the airbag.

[gyates93]

Glad I don't have to worry about this with no airbag!

Unfortunately....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDEUdiarUgs

[lostforawhile]

This has always been my worst fear about airbags. They are basically bombs aimed at your face. Whenever I'm leaning over to change the radio station, I'm thinking "if the airbag screwed up and deployed now, I'd be dead." I'll stick with seat belts, thanks.

it's not really a bomb, it's a very fast reaction which produces the gas that fills the bag, it makes a lot of noise like a bomb because it happens so fast, the injuries from the bag are minor compared to the injuries that could have been without it. people are surviving a lot of crashes that would have been unsurvivable before them. Once airbags were established as standard, they started find out other things that needed to be made stronger, such as floor pans, people started having horrible leg injuries, which they apparently had before, but most of the time the crash that caused them would have killed them, so it didn't matter before

[Dr_Snooz]

it's not really a bomb, it's a very fast reaction which produces the gas that fills the bag, it makes a lot of noise like a bomb because it happens so fast, the injuries from the bag are minor compared to the injuries that could have been without it. people are surviving a lot of crashes that would have been unsurvivable before them. Once airbags were established as standard, they started find out other things that needed to be made stronger, such as floor pans, people started having horrible leg injuries, which they apparently had before, but most of the time the crash that caused them would have killed them, so it didn't matter before

Where is your data to support these claims? An explosive charge is used to fill the airbag (Chemistry Behind Airbags). It heads for your face at a velocity of 150-250 MPH at the very same time your face is headed toward the airbag at a high rate of speed. It doesn't take a physicist to know how those vectors will impact upon your physiognomy. In a low speed crash, if you are bent over close to the steering wheel, fiddling with the GPS when the airbag deploys, you aren't going to live to tell about it. Heck, if you have your seat too close to the steering wheel, bad things will happen. NHTSA estimated in 2004 that airbags had saved only 10,000 lives since their introduction. That's a relatively paltry number. At the same time, NHTSA estimated that those same airbags had caused 238 fatalities in low speed crashes (Airbags associated with increased probability of death in accidents, study finds). Some statisticians maintain that on balance, airbags kill more people than they save (Airbags associated with increased probability of death in accidents, study finds). And that assumes they are functioning properly.

Regardless of the statistical squabbles, however, it doesn't take a lot to realize that an airbag is a bomb mounted on your steering wheel, aimed at your face. I happen to be incredibly uncomfortable with that concept.

[ghettogeddy]

I deleted the drivers side from my teg just looking for a delete plate for the pass side one so I can take It out.

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