Takata is back in the news: recalling 10m replacement air bag inflators in the United States, the largest ever auto safety recall in history, as regulators there consider whether to make it even wider.
Reuters reported the recall made public Wednesday covers 10m inflators that were a temporary fix and includes some components never installed. Several automakers have already initiated additional recalls to replace the recalled inflator with an alternative final part.
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Separately, Reuters added, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) was assessing whether to compel the recall of tens ofms of additional Takata air bag inflators that have a drying agent. It is also reviewing petitions from General Motors to avoid recalling more than 6m vehicles with Takata inflators.
GM hds said it could cost $1.2bn if it had to recall the vehicles.
Prior to Wednesday, Reuters said, 41.6m US vehicles equipped with 56m defective Takata air bags had been recalled because the inflators can explode when deployed. At least 25 deaths worldwide and more than 290 injuries had been linked to faulty Takata inflators.
The Takata recalls cover about 100m inflators among 19 major automakers worldwide.
Under a 2015 consent order, Takata had to provide data to US regulators by 31 December 2020 about whether tens of millions of additional so-called desiccated inflators needed to be recalled.
Acting NHTSA Administrator James Owens told Reuters the agency was reviewing data on the desiccated inflators and talking to automakers.
An independent group after five years of testing inflators told NHTSA in October there was “no immediate safety risk” to the inflators with a drying agent but added “out of an abundance of caution, we recommend a well-designed monitoring programme.”
Owens told Reuters NHTSA may announce new monitoring.
