Takata Airbag Recall - What You Need to Know

Recalls are nothing new. Every company, automotive or otherwise, typically has some issue they have to rectify. Quality, customer satisfaction, and safety should be at the top of every company’s objectives. However, what really distinguishes an issue as unethical is when it affects millions of products and individuals and was known internally to be a potential problem from the start. Enter Takata, a global supplier headquartered in Japan that produces various components for the auto industry, such as airbags, interior trim pieces, seat belts, and steering wheels. While possibly little was known about the company before these recalls, Takata may now be remembered as being responsible for one of the largest recalls in automobile history. Yet, this isn’t the first time Takata has been in recall trouble, as a recall in 1995 was issued for over 8 million vehicles with defective seat belts supplied by Takata.

The Scenario

NHTSA (The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) called for expanded recalls after a New York Times article was published stating that Takata knew of defects with their airbags years before any official paperwork was filed. These defects were more widespread than previously thought, and several individuals were seriously hurt or killed as a result of exploding Takata airbags. In a nutshell, what causes these airbags to explode in an accident is that the inflator within the airbag module ignites with excessive explosive force, causing metal parts that are inside to fly out and rupture the airbag. As you can imagine (but probably shouldn't), these parts flying out and striking an individual can be extremely dangerous. Its also important to keep in mind that airbags deploy at over 200 mph - enough force alone to be dangerous without any added complications. This is why it is important for younger children and baby seats to be placed in the back of the car!

Following NHTSA’s investigation, repercussions were taken, and Takata was fined $14,000 daily for not complying throughout the investigation at times. Then in May 2015, the Department of Transportation (DOT) released a statement stating Takata finally acknowledged that the inflator it used in various airbag assemblies was faulty. It was estimated that over 33.8 million vehicles could potentially be affected. To date, Takata has been fined civil penalties of up to $200 million dollars, and automakers are still currently recalling and fixing affected models.

So What Now?

So what does this mean for drivers? It means consumers need to be vigilant about other recalls going forward, do proper research before buying a car, and most importantly, if you happen to own one of the affected models, get it fixed IMMEDIATELY to ensure the safety of yourself and those riding with you. I care about my readers, so please, get this work done ASAP. A wide variety of manufacturers, foreign and domestic, are affected, including Honda, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Chrysler, General Motors, and many more. I've provided some links below to sites that share even more info about the Takata airbag recall, which specific models and years of cars are potentially affected, and much more. 

• http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/news/2014/10/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-takata-air-bag-recall/index.htm
• http://www.safercar.gov/rs/takata/takatalist.html

Furthermore, don't let recalls scare into thinking one specific automaker has poor quality, or isn't committed to their customers. The fact that companies are voluntarily fixing as many cars as quickly as possible demonstrates their commitment to drivers and condemnation of Takata's actions. Takata will now serve as another historic example of what could happen if a supplier does not conduct business ethically and continues to irresponsibly source to buyers.

That's it for this week. Until next time: ROLL ON!

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