The Takata airbag recall, which has affected millions of American vehicles, has now become a global problem as at least one death outside the U.S. has been linked to the faulty airbags. To date, some 7.8 million vehicles made by 10 different automakers, have been affected by the recall.
According to the recall, affected airbags could deploy explosively, resulting in severe injury and death. Automakers across the country have been reaching out to customers, asking them to bring their vehicles in to be fixed.
In the U.S., four deaths and more than 100 injuries have been linked to the defective airbags. And, now, according to an article by The New York Times, one death has been linked to the defect in Malaysia.
According to a statement issued by Nissan, the defect is serious: “The propellant could potentially deteriorate over time due to environmental factors [due to many years in high humidity conditions], which could lead to over-aggressive combustion in the event of an air bag deployment. This could create excessive internal pressure within the inflator and could cause the inflator housing to rupture.”
And, if the airbag housing tears during a crash, small metal shards could launch out, causing serious injury and/or death to the driver and passengers.
With more than 7.8 million vehicles recalled in the U.S. and news of problems globally, this airbag defect has the potential to be one of the most disastrous vehicle recalls. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has already updated the recall to a national level.
Are you affected by the recall?
If you are unsure whether your vehicle has been recalled, there are a few ways to find out. To start, you should identify your vehicle identification number, which can be found in the lower driver side corner of the windshield as well as on registration documents. You can input your VIN into NHTSA’s website to determine if your vehicle has been recalled.
If your vehicle is affected by the recall, you should contact the dealer as soon as possible to determine how to get it fixed. Although the recall states that vehicles in areas with high humidity are at highest risk, you should take your vehicle in right away no matter where you live.
Anyone who has suffered injuries or loss due to airbag explosions should contact an attorney about their right to sue Takata. It has been alleged that the auto supplier knew of the airbag defect long before the recall. To learn more about this recall and others, contact the national product liability lawyers of Flood Law Group LLP.
