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BMW recalls older vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The airbag inflators in the sports steering wheels may explode

BMW of North America is recalling 170,148 model year 2000-2003 525i Sedans, 530i Sedans, 540i Sedans, 525i Sports Wagons & 540i Sports Wagons, and model year 2000-2004 X5 SAV 3.0i, X5 SAV 4.4i, and X5 SAV 4.6is vehicles.

The recall applies to vehicles where the original steering wheel has been replaced with the optional sports steering wheel.

The sports steering wheel has a front airbag inflator that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle for an optional sports steering wheel with an affected inflator. Dealers will replace the airbag module as necessary, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin March 4, 2019.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America is recalling 170,148 model year 2000-2003 525i Sedans, 530i Sedans, 540i Sedans, 525i Sports Wagons & 540i Sports Wagons, and model ye...
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Toyota recalls 1.3 million vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The inflator may explode causing injury or death

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling nearly 1.3 million vehicles including:

Model year 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runners, model year 2014-2015 Scion xBs, Lexus IS350Cs, IS250Cs, model year 2014 Toyota Siennas, Lexus IS-Fs, and model year 2014-2017 Lexus GX460s sold, or ever registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands – or "Zone A."

Model year 2011-2013 Toyota Corollas, Corolla Matrixs, Lexus IS250s, IS350s, model year 2011-2016 4Runners, model year 2011-2015 Scion xBs, Lexus IS350Cs, IS250Cs, model year 2011-2014 Toyota Siennas, Lexus IS-Fs, model year 2011-2017 Lexus GX460s, and model year 2011-2012 Lexus ES350s ever registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia – or "Zone B."

Model year 2010-2013 Toyota Corollas, Corolla Matrixs, Lexus IS350s, model year 2010-2016 4Runners, model year 2010-2013 Lexus IS250s, model year 2010-2015 Scion xBs, Lexus IS350Cs, IS250Cs, model year 2010-2017 Lexus GX460s, model year 2010-2014 Lexus IS-Fs, and model year 2010-2012 Lexus ES350s ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming – or "Zone C."

The vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original air bags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger airbag inflator, or replace the airbag assembly.

The recall was expected to begin February 11, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331.

Toyota's codes for this recall are "Zone A" Toyota: G0P, Lexus: GLG; "Zone B" Toyota: G0R, Lexus GLH; "Zone C" Toyota: H0A, and Lexus: HLA.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling nearly 1.3 million vehicles including:Model year 2014-2016 Toyota 4Runners, model year 2014-2015...
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Chrysler recalls 1.4 million vehicles with driver's front airbag issue

Excessive internal pressure may cause the airbag inflator to explode

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 1,413,222 model year 2010 Dodge Ram 3500s, Ram 4500s/5500s, model year 2010-2011 Dodge Dakotas, model year 2010-2014 Dodge Challengers, model year 2010-2015 Dodge Challengers, Chrysler 300s, and model year 2010-2016 Jeep Wranglers.

Excessive internal pressure may cause the driver's front airbag inflator to explode upon deployment.

An exploding inflator could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death

What to do

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front airbag inflator, free of charge.

The recall began February 4, 2019.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V01.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 1,413,222 model year 2010 Dodge Ram 3500s, Ram 4500s/5500s, model year 2010-2011 Dodge Dakotas, model year 2010-2014 Dod...
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Ford recalls nearly 800k vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The passenger front airbag inflator may explode

Ford Motor Company is recalling the following 782,384 vehicles:

Model year 2014 Ford Mustangs sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands -- or "Zone A."

Model year 2011 Ford Rangers and Mercury Milans;, model year 2011-2012 Ford Fusions and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZs; and model year 2011-2014 Ford Mustangs sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia -- or "Zone B."

Model year 2010 Ford Edges and Lincoln MKXs, model year 2010-2011 Ford Rangers and Mercury Milans, model year 2010-2012 Ford Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr/MKZs, and model year 2010-2014 Ford Mustangs sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming -- or "Zone C."

The vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment (such as after a vehicle crash necessitating replacement of the original airbags), that may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front airbag inflator, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin February 18, 2019.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall 19S01.

Ford Motor Company is recalling the following 782,384 vehicles:Model year 2014 Ford Mustangs sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida,...
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Chrysler recalls more than 1.4 million vehicles

Passenger-side airbag inflators may rupture

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling an estimated 1.4 million vehicles in the U.S.

Due to a defect linked to temperature cycling, humidity and time, passenger-side airbag inflators may -- on deployment -- send shrapnel into the vehicle cabin.

To date, the automaker has replaced more than 4 million Takata inflators. However, its inventory of replacement parts has outpaced demand for service.

The following vehicles are being recalled:

  • model year 2010 Ram 3500 pickup
  • model year 2010 Ram 4500/5500 chassis cab
  • model year 2010-2011 Dodge Dakota pickup
  • model year 2010-2014 Dodge Challenger sport coupe
  • model year 2011-2015 Dodge Charger sedan
  • model year 2010-2015 Chrysler 300 sedan and
  • model year 2010-2016 Jeep Wrangler SUV

Vehicles of the same type will be recalled in Canada (est. 88,830), Mexico (12,821) and markets outside the NAFTA region (118,084).

What to do

Chrysler will advise owners of the recalled vehicles when they may schedule service.

Owners with questions or concerns may call the Chrysler recall information center at (800) 853-1403.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling an estimated 1.4 million vehicles in the U.S.Due to a defect linked to temperature cycling, humidity and time, passe...
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Toyota recalls additional 1.3 million Toyota and Lexus models

A defective airbag inflator may rupture

Toyota is adding approximately 1.3 million vehicles to the series of recalls it has been conducting in connection with Takata airbag inflators.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with front passenger airbag inflators containing a non-desiccated, phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate propellant. A defect related to motor vehicle safety may arise in the inflators due to propellant degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

Activation of a non-desiccated ammonium nitrate inflator with degraded propellant may result in an airbag inflator rupture. If a defective airbag inflator ruptures, it may cause sharp metal fragments to pass through the airbag and spray directly at the driver and passengers, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.

The following vehicles are being recalled:

  • model year 2010-2016 4Runners
  • model year 2010-2013 Corollas
  • model year 2010-2013 Matrixes
  • model year 2011-2014 Siennas,
  • model year 2010-2015 Scion XBs,
  • model year 2010-2012 Lexus ES 350s
  • model year 2010-2017 Lexus GX 460s
  • model year 2010-2015 Lexus IS 250Cs
  • model year 2010-2015 Lexus IS 350Cs
  • model year 2010-2013 Lexus IS 250s
  • model year 2010-2013 Lexus IS 350s and
  • model year 2010-2014 Lexus IS-Fs.

What to do

Depending on the vehicle model, Toyota and Lexus dealers will replace either the front passenger airbag inflator or airbag assembly at no cost to owners.

Owners of all involved vehicles will receive direct notification starting in late January 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331and Lexus customer service at (800) 255-3987.

Toyota is adding approximately 1.3 million vehicles to the series of recalls it has been conducting in connection with Takata airbag inflators.The reca...
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Toyota recalls vehicles with passenger front airbag issue

The passenger front airbag inflator may explode

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 169,481 model year 2002-2005 Lexus SCs and Toyota Sequoias, model year 2003-2005 Toyota Corollas and Tundras, and model year 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibes.

The vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger front airbag, the inflators may explode due to propellant degradation.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

This recall includes vehicles that have had their airbag previously replaced under an earlier recall.

What to do

Toyota will notify the Toyota and Lexus owners. General Motors will notify the Pontiac Vibe owners.

Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the front passenger airbag inflator with an alternate inflator, or replace the airbag assembly that includes an alternate inflator, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin January 14, 2019.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (888) 270-9371, Lexus customer service at (800) 255-3987 or Pontiac customer service at (800) 762-2737.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 169,481 model year 2002-2005 Lexus SCs and Toyota Sequoias, model year 2003-2005 Toyota Corollas and...
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Ford expands recall of vehicles with Takata airbag inflators

The airbag inflator may rupture, resulting in injury or death

Ford Motor Company is expanding its earlier recall on vehicles with certain passenger front airbag inflators after Takata declared those inflators defective.

A total of approximately 953,000 vehicles have been added to this expansion, including 782,384 in the U.S. and federalized territories and 149,652 in Canada.

Among the vehicles added to the recall are:

  • 2010 Ford Edge and 2010 Lincoln MKX vehicles built at Oakville Assembly Plant, November 28, 2008, to July 12, 2010
  • 2010-11 Ford Ranger vehicles built at Twin Cities, August 14, 2008, to June 21, 2014
  • 2010-12 Ford Fusion, 2010-12 Lincoln MKZ and 2010-11 Mercury Milan vehicles built at Hermosillo Assembly Plant, July 3, 2008, to July 29, 2012
  • 2010-14 Ford Mustang vehicles built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, June 8, 2009, to December 16, 2011

What to do

Dealers will replace the passenger frontal airbag inflator or module at no cost to the customer.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 19S01.

Ford Motor Company is expanding its earlier recall on vehicles with certain passenger front airbag inflators after Takata declared those inflators defectiv...
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Toyota recalls vehicles with Takata airbag inflator issue

The airbag inflator may rupture, resulting in injury or death

Toyota is recalling about 65,000 Toyota model year 2003-2005 Model Year Corollas, model year 2002-2005 Sequoias, model year 2003-2005 Tundras and model year 2002-2005 Lexus SCs.

The vehicles were subject to previous recalls where front passenger airbag inflators were replaced with new Takata-produced, non-desiccated airbag inflators as a remedy.

A safety defect may arise in the Takata inflators due to propellant degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity and high temperature cycling.

Activation of such inflators may result in an airbag inflator rupture, causing sharp metal fragments to pass through the airbag and spray directly at the driver and passengers, increasing the risk of serious injury or death.

What to do

Toyota dealers will replace the front passenger airbag inflator or the airbag assembly with an improved one produced by non-Takata suppliers at no cost.

The recall is expected to begin in early January 2019

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at (800) 331-4331 and Lexus customer service at (800) 255-3987.

Toyota is recalling about 65,000 Toyota model year 2003-2005 Model Year Corollas, model year 2002-2005 Sequoias, model year 2003-2005 Tundras and model yea...
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Mazda recalls various model year RX-8s with airbag inflator issue

The airbag inflator may rupture, resulting in injury or death

Mazda North American Operations is recalling a total of 394 vehicles.

The include model year 2011 Mazda RX-8s sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Also included are model year 2010-2011 RX-8s registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

These vehicles are equipped with certain airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger front airbag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator with an alternate one, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin November 12, 2018.

Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500, Option 4. Mazda's number for this recall is 2918J.

Mazda North American Operations is recalling a total of 394 vehicles.The include model year 2011 Mazda RX-8s sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arka...
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Ferrari expands recall of vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The passenger-side front airbag inflator may explode

Ferrari Ferrari North America has expanded an earlier recall of 1,073 model year 2013 California, 458 Italia, 458 Spider, FF, and F12 Berlinetta vehicles sold, or ever registered in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, to include an additional 826 of those vehicles.

The vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front air bag modules used as original or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger front airbag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Ferrari will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front airbag assembly, free of charge.

The recall began March 1, 2018 for the original population. The recall will begin in June 2018 for the expanded population.

Owners may contact Ferrari customer service at 1-866-551-2828. Ferrari's number for this recall is 63.

Ferrari Ferrari North America has expanded an earlier recall of 1,073 model year 2013 California, 458 Italia, 458 Spider, FF, and F12 Berlinetta vehicles s...
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Kia recalls Fortes & Forte Koups, Optimas, Optima Hybrids and Sedonas

The front airbags and seat belt pretensioners may not deploy

Kia Motors America is recalling 507,587 model year 2010-2013 Kia Fortes & Forte Koups, model year 2011-2013 Kia Optimas, and model year 2011-2012 Kia Optima Hybrids & Sedonas.

The airbag control unit may short circuit, preventing the front airbags and seat belt pretensioners from deploying in the event of a crash.

If the front airbags and seat belt pretensioners are disabled, there is an increased risk of injury to the vehicle occupants in the event of a vehicle crash that necessitates deployment of these safety systems.

What to do

The remedy for this recall is still under development.

The recall is planned to begin on July 27, 2018.

Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC165.

Kia Motors America is recalling 507,587 model year 2010-2013 Kia Fortes & Forte Koups, model year 2011-2013 Kia Optimas, and model year 2011-2012 Kia Optim...
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Volkswagen recalls various vehicles with airbag inflator issue

Excessive internal pressure may cause the airbag inflator to explode

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 51,352 model year 2009-2014 Volkswagen CCs, model year 2010-2014 Golfs, model year 2010-2011 Eos vehicles, model year 2007-2010 Passat Sedans, and model year 2007-2010 Passat Wagons.

Upon deployment of the driver's front airbag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to explode with metal fragments striking occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front airbag inflator free of charge.

The recall was expected to begin March 15, 2018.

Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69Q9.

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 51,352 model year 2009-2014 Volkswagen CCs, model year 2010-2014 Golfs, model year 2010-2011 Eos vehicles, model y...
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Model year 2009-2010 Tribecas, Imprezas, Foresters, WRXs, Legacys and Outbacks recalled

The passenger front airbag inflator may explode

Subaru of America is recalling 93,209 model year 2009-2010 Tribecas, Imprezas, Foresters, WRXs, Legacys and Outbacks sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

The vehicles are equipped with certain airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger front airbag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An explosion of an inflator may result in sharp metal fragments striking the front seat passenger, driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin February 9, 2018.

Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is TKB-18.

Subaru of America is recalling 93,209 model year 2009-2010 Tribecas, Imprezas, Foresters, WRXs, Legacys and Outbacks sold, or ever registered, in Arizona,...
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Airbag inflator issue prompts massive Mercedes-Benz recall

The passenger front airbag inflators could explode

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 132,167 of the following vehicles:

  • Model year 2013 C250s, C250 Coupes, C350 Coupe 4Matics, C300 4Matics, C350s, C350 Coupse, C63 AMGs, C63 Coupes, E350 Cabrios, E350 Coupes, E550 Cabrios, E350 Coupe 4Matics, E550 Coupes, GLK350 4Matics, GLK250 Bluetec 4Matics, GLK350s, SLS Coupes, SLS AMG GT Coupes, and SLS Roadsters sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands or "Zone A."
  • Model year 2010 C300s, C300 4Matics, C63 AMGs, E350 Coupes, E550 Coupes, GLK350s, and GLK350 4Matics ever registered in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia or "Zone B."
  • Model year 2009 C300s, C300 4Matics, C63 AMGs, and C350s ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming or "Zone C."

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger front airbag, the inflator may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge.

Parts are currently not available.

Owners will be sent an interim notification starting in February 2018. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 132,167 of the following vehicles: Model year 2013 C250s, C250 Coupes, C350 Coupe 4Matics, C300 4Matics, C350s...
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Toyota expands Takata airbag recall

The airbag inflator could rupture during deployment

Toyota Motor North America is expanding its recall of vehicles with Takata front passenger airbag inflators.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with a particular type of Takata inflator in which a safety defect may arise in the front passenger airbag inflators in the involved vehicles due to inflator propellant degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and high temperature cycling.

This may result in an inflator rupture when the airbag deploys.

Based on the latest information from Takata, the expansion involves approximately 601,300 additional vehicles in the U.S.

The following models are included:

  • 2009 – 2010 and 2013 Model Year Scion xB
  • 2009 ‐ 2010 and 2013 Model Year Toyota Corolla
  • 2009 – 2010 and 2013 Model Year Toyota Corolla Matrix
  • 2009 – 2010 Model Year Toyota Yaris
  • 2010 and 2013 Model Year Toyota 4Runner
  • 2013 Model Year Toyota Sienna
  • 2009 – 2010 and 2013 Model Year Lexus IS250/350
  • 2010 and 2013 Model Year Lexus IS250C/350C
  • 2009 – 2010 and 2013 Model Year Lexus IS‐F
  • 2009 – 2010 Model Year Lexus ES350
  • 2010 and 2013 Model Year Lexus GX460

What to do

Toyota will contact all known owners of the recalled vehicles by first class mail by early March.

Toyota and Lexus dealers will replace either the front passenger air bag inflator or the front passenger air bag assembly at no cost to customers.

Owners with questions may contact Toyota customer service at 1‐800‐331‐4331, or Lexus customer service at 1‐800‐255‐3987.

Toyota Motor North America is expanding its recall of vehicles with Takata front passenger airbag inflators.The recalled vehicles are equipped with a p...
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Honda recalls model year 2003 Honda Accord Coupes

A replacement airbag inflator may rupture

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 37,421 model year 2003 Accord Coupes equipped with a four-cylinder engine.

If the passenger front airbag module has been replaced, such as after a crash necessitating airbag deployment, the replacement airbag module may include a Takata airbag inflator.

These inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to lower absolute humidity, temperature and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicle and replace any Takata inflator used in the passenger front airbag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 1, 2017.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is KF0.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 37,421 model year 2003 Accord Coupes equipped with a four-cylinder engine.If the passenger front airbag module ha...
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New urgency in the Takata airbag recall

Southern California civic leaders say too many unrepaired vehicles are still on the road

It was nearly two years ago that some automakers began recalling cars equipped with defective Takata airbags that are in danger of spraying metal fragments through the passenger compartment when they deploy.

Since then, more than 42 million vehicles from 19 different automakers have been recalled and at least 11 people in the U.S. have been killed by the flying metal fragments.

California civic leaders, alarmed that millions of unrepaired recalled vehicles are still on state highways, have banded together to add urgency to the recall.

They say Southern California leads the nation in defective airbag deaths. They say the risk is especially high in that region because of warm weather, which is a factor that increases the defect in the airbag inflator. The initiative, called Airbag Recall: Southern California, is trying to spread the word in Southern California that if you are driving a car with one of these airbags, you need to take advantage of the free repair.

Putting lives at risk

"Airbags save lives, but defective ones are a hazard that puts our loved ones at risk," said Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti. "We have to give people the information they need to protect themselves and their families."

Federal transportation officials say the airbags with the greatest risk are in certain 2001-2003 Hondas and Acuras, with as high as a 50% chance of exploding upon deployment.

The affected models include the 2001 and 2002 Honda Civic, the 2001 and 2002 Honda Accord, the 2002 and 2003 Acura TL, the 2002 Honda Odyssey, the 2002 Honda CR-V, the 2003 Acura CL, and the 2003 Honda Pilot.

The Honda risk

Honda is participating in the initiative, releasing a statement urging drivers of its affected models to check their vehicle identification number (VIN). If it's a recalled vehicle and the repair has not been made, the company says consumers should go to a Honda dealer for the free recall repairs immediately. The company says replacement parts, which were in short supply early in the recall, are now plentiful.

Owners of these vehicles may also schedule a repair by calling Honda at 1-888-234-2138.

Honda says consumers driving certain 2001-2003 Honda and Acura models originally equipped with Takata's older "Alpha" inflators, are at an even higher risk. It says there is a 50% chance an "Alpha" inflator will rupture in a crash.

Honda says these vehicles should not be driven, except to a dealer for the repair.

It was nearly two years ago that some automakers began recalling cars equipped with defective Takata airbags that are in danger of spraying metal fragments...
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BMW recalls model year 2017 X5 vehicles

The passenger front airbag inflators may not vent properly

BMW of North America is recalling 36 model year 2017 X5 sDrive35i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 xDrive35d, and X5 xDrive40e vehicles.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with passenger front airbag modules using certain air-bag inflators that may not vent properly in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag.

If the inflator cannot vent properly, the inflator may rupture, resulting in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants and causing serious injury or death.

What to do

BMW has notified owners, and dealers will replace the air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on March 20, 2017.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America is recalling 36 model year 2017 X5 sDrive35i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 xDrive35d, and X5 xDrive40e vehicles.The recalled veh...
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Automakers were Takata's accomplices, suit charges

Major carmakers knew Takata airbags were dangerous but used them anyway, the complaint alleges

The ink had not yet dried on a judge's order fining airbag-maker Takata $1 billion for wire fraud when a class-action lawsuit was filed in Florida charging that Ford, Honda, Nissan, and Toyota had installed the defective airbags in cars for years while knowing they were dangerous.

“For over a decade, Takata lied to its customers about the safety and reliability of its ammonium nitrate-based airbag inflators,” said Acting Assistant U.S. Attorney General Blanco after a Detroit federal court judge imposed the fine Monday. “Takata abused the trust of both its customers and the public by allowing airbag inflators to be put in vehicles knowing that the inflators did not meet the required specifications."

The Florida lawsuit charges that it was not only Takata that knew of the hazards presented by the faulty airbag inflators. It alleged that automakers knew of the dangers but kept pressuring suppliers to keep costs down and continued using Takata airbags even though they knew they were prone to explode and spew deadly shrapnel into the passenger compartment.

At least eleven people have died in the U.S. and more than 100 have been injured by the airbags, and automakers have staged a massive recall of more than 70 million airbags in 42 million vehicles.

The Florida suit was filed by attorney Kevin Dean, who objected to the Takata plea deal and charged that documents filed with the court showed that automakers were not victims of a Takata cover-up but accomplices.

Judge George Caram Steeh approved the settlement anyway, saying that Dean's objections could be handled in a separate civil suit.

Honda strongly denied the allegations in the Florida suit, saying it "reasonably believed" they were safe. 

The ink had not yet dried on a judge's order fining airbag-maker Takata $1 billion for wire fraud when a class-action lawsuit was filed in Florida charging...
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Takata expected to set up $125 million fund for airbag victims

The fund is part of a $1 billion settlement being presented in a Detroit federal court on Monday

Takata has reportedly agreed to set up a fund to compensate victims of its faulty airbags, which have been blamed for 11 deaths and hundreds of injuries in the United States. The $125 million fund is part of a plea deal expected to be aired in a federal courtroom in Detroit on Monday.

More than 70 million of the defective airbags have been recalled because their inflator can explode and send deadly shrapnel into the passenger compartment.

The recall process has been seen as painstakingly slow by consumers, although regulators and automakers say they have been working as quickly as possible to remove and replace the defective units.

Last December, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued an order that set deadlines for when automakers must have replacement parts available for customers. 

“NHTSA is doing everything possible to make sure that there are no more preventable injuries or deaths because of these dangerous airbag inflators,” said then-NHTSA Administrator Dr. Mark Rosekind. “All vehicle owners should regularly check their vehicles for recalls at SaferCar.gov and go get them fixed at no cost as soon as replacement parts are available.”

It's not that easy, of course. Consumers and dealers alike have been frustrated by a lack of parts. Some automakers have asked dealers to make loaners available but most have not, leaving consumers with little choice but to drive around with a lethal explosive device just inches from their face. 

The fund is said to be similar to the one General Motors set up in 2014 to deal with the deaths and injuries that resulted from faulty ignition switches on some of its smaller sedans. Press reports in the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere say the fund will be administered by Kenneth Feinberg, who also ran the GM fund and handled compensation for victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.

$1 billion total

The fund is part of what's expected to be $1 billion that Takata will pay as part of an agreement to plead guilty to criminal wire fraud for allegedly providing false safety reports to automakers. Much of the remaining amount will be used to reimburse automakers for the expenses they have incurred in conducting the recalls. 

Takata had earlier turned aside a plea by Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) that it establish a fund to compensate victims, saving them the expense and trauma of pursuing legal action against the company. He said Takata only agreed to the action "because they had a gun to their head."

Blumenthal noted that General Motors had set up its fund just months after recalling millions of cars with defective ignition switches, and he called the $125 million "paltry" compared with the automakers' fund.

Settling the court case is thought to be the last hurdle in Takata's attempt to find a buy for the troubled company, which would otherwise likely face bankruptcy.

Takata has reportedly agreed to set up a fund to compensate victims of its faulty airbags, which have been blamed for 11 deaths and hundreds of injuries in...
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Nissan recalls model 2002 Pathfinders and Infiniti QX4s

The Takata airbag inflators may rupture

Nissan North America (Nissan) is recalling 46 model year 2002 Pathfinders and Infiniti QX4s.

The vehicles' Takata airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment may rupture in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags.

What to do

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger airbag assembly, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

This story is based on a recall notice issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) or the automobile manufacturer. Although the recall notice may specify certain models and production years, the actual recall may officially include only certain vehicles within those categories -- production runs during a certain time span, for example.

Has your car been recalled? To check whether there are outstanding recalls on your car, jot down your VIN number (which you can find in the lower left corner of your windshield), go to www.nhtsa.gov/recalls, and enter the VIN where indicated. 

Once notified of a recall, you should contact your local dealer, who will make the necessary repairs if parts are available. Frequently, parts are not immediately available and you may have to wait, sometimes for months in the case of a large recall. The dealer may voluntarily provide you with a loaner but is not required by law to do so. 

Nissan North America (Nissan) is recalling 46 model year 2002 Pathfinders and Infiniti QX4s.The vehicles' Takata airbag inflators assembled as part of...
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Land Rover recalls Range Rovers with passenger front airbag inflator issue

The airbag inflator may rupture, resulting in injury or death

Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling a total of 8,769 vehicles with a passenger front airbag inflator issue.

Included are model year 2012 Land Rover Range Rovers originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan) and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A," Land Rover is recalling model year 2009 Land Rover Range Rover vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

Further, Land Rover is recalling model year 2007-2008 Land Rover Range Rover vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

The vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Land Rover will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assemblies, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners will be sent an interim notification around March 3, 2017. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is P082.

Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling a total of 8,769 vehicles with a passenger front airbag inflator issue.Included are model year 2012 Land R...
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Mitsubishi recalls i-MiEV vehicles

The airbag inflator may rupture, resulting in injury or death

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling 1,964 model year 2012 and 2014 i-MiEV vehicles.

The vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-17-001.

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling 1,964 model year 2012 and 2014 i-MiEV vehicles.The vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators asse...
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BMW recalls various vehicles with passenger front airbag inflator issue

The airbag inflator may rupture, resulting in injury or death

BMW of North America is recalling a total of 48,380 vehicles with a passenger front airbag inflator issue.

Te recall includes model year 2012 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A,", BMW is recalling certain 2009 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i, and X5 M vehicles, 2008-2009 X6 xDrive 35i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, and 2009 X5 xDrive35d vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

Further, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B," BMW is recalling certain 2007-2008 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M vehicles, and 2008 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

The vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger airbag inflator or airbag module, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available are expected to be mailed March 1, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America is recalling a total of 48,380 vehicles with a passenger front airbag inflator issue.Te recall includes model year 2012 X5 xDrive3...
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Ford recalls various vehicles with passenger front airbag inflator issue

The airbag inflator may rupture, resulting in injury or death

Ford Motor Company is recalling a total of 654,695 vehicles with an airbag inflator issue.

Included are model year 2012 Ford Fusions and Mustangs and Lincoln Zephyrs and MKZs originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A,” Ford is recalling certain 2009 Ford Rangers, Edges, Fusions and Mustangs, Lincoln MKXs, MKZs and Zephyrs and Mercury Milans originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B," Ford is recalling certain 2007-2008 Ford Rangers, Edges and Lincoln MKXs, 2006-2008 Ford Fusions, Mercury Milans, Lincoln Zephyrs and MKZs, 2005-2008 Ford Mustangs and 2005-2006 Ford GTs originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

These vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger front airbag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front airbag inflator, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners of the recall and that parts are not yet available are expected to begin February 27, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 17S01.

Ford Motor Company is recalling a total of 654,695 vehicles with an airbag inflator issue.Included are model year 2012 Ford Fusions and Mustangs and Li...
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Daimler Vans USA recalls vehicles with passenger front airbag inflator issue

The airbag inflator may rupture, resulting in injury or death

Daimler Vans USA (DVUSA) is recalling a total of 11,279 vehicles with an airbag inflator issue.

Included are model year 2012 Freightliner 2500 and 3500 Sprinter and Mercedes-Benz 2500 and 3500 Sprinter vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, DVUSA is recalling certain 2009 Dodge 2500 and 3500 Sprinter and Freightliner 2500 and 3500 Sprinter vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

These vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger airbag module, free of charge. Interim letters informing owners about the recall and telling them that parts are not yet available are expected to be mailed in February 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available.

Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267.

Daimler Vans USA (DVUSA) is recalling a total of 11,279 vehicles with an airbag inflator issue.Included are model year 2012 Freightliner 2500 and 3500...
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Mazda recalls various vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The airbag inflator may rupture, resulting in injury or death

Mazda North America Operations is recalling a total of 8,018 vehicles with airbag inflator issues.

Included are model year 2009 RX-8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone B,” Mazda is recalling model year 2005-2006 MPV and 2005-2008 RX-8 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal airbag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 7, 2017.

Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 0617A.

Mazda North America Operations is recalling a total of 8,018 vehicles with airbag inflator issues.Included are model year 2009 RX-8 vehicles originally...
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Toyota recalls a half million vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The airbag inflator may rupture, resulting in injury or death

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling a total of 543,326 vehicles with airbag inflator issues.

The recall includes model year 2012 Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Sienna, Yaris, Scion xB, Lexus ES350, GX460, IS-F, IS250, IS350, IS250C, IS350C, and Lexus LFA vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A," Toyota is recalling model year 2009 Toyota Corolla, Corolla Matrix, Yaris, Yaris HB, Scion xB, Pontiac Vibe, Lexus, ES350, IS250, IS350, and IS-F vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

Further, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B," Toyota is recalling model year 2006-2008 Lexus IS250 and IS350, 2007-2008 Lexus ES350, Toyota Yaris, Yaris HB, and 2008 Lexus IS-F and Scion xB vehicles originally sold, or ever registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin and Wyoming.

These vehicles are equipped with air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger front airbag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Toyota will notify the Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners. General Motors will contact the Pontiac owners. Depending on the model, dealers will replace the passenger front airbag inflator or the airbag assembly, free of charge.

Interim letters informing owners that parts are not yet available are expected to begin January 30, 2017. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Pontiac customer service at 1-800-762-2737. Toyota's numbers for interim notification for this campaign are G1P (Toyota Zone A), G1R (Toyota Zone B), H1A (Toyota Zone C), G2G (Lexus Zone A), G2H (Lexus Zone B) and H2A (Lexus Zone C). Toyota's numbers for final remedy for this campaign are G0P (Toyota Zone A), G0R (Toyota Zone B), H0A (Toyota Zone C), GLG (Lexus Zone A), GLH (Lexus Zone B) and HLA (Lexus Zone C).

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling a total of 543,326 vehicles with airbag inflator issues.The recall includes model year 2012 Toyot...
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McLaren recalls model year 2012 MP4-12C vehicles

The vehicle's airbag inflator may rupture

McLaren Automotive Incorporated is recalling 359 model year 2012 MP4-12C vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

These vehicles are equipped with certain airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

McLaren will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag inflators, free of charge. Remedy parts are not currently available. McLaren will send a letter to the affected owners to notify them of the recall and will mail a follow up letter when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact McLaren customer service at 1-646-8916.

McLaren Automotive Incorporated is recalling 359 model year 2012 MP4-12C vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alabama, California...
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Honda recalls Goldwing motorcycles

The motorcycle's airbag inflator may rupture

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling a total of 882 Goldwing motorcycles.

Included are model year 2006-2009 and 2012 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, if not included in "Zone A," Honda is recalling certain 2006-2009 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

Additionally, if not included in Zone A or Zone B above, Honda is recalling certain 2006-2008 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycles originally sold, or ever registered, in the states of Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

These vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the operator resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin January 24, 2017.

Owners may contact Honda Motorcycle Customer Support at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KE5.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling a total of 882 Goldwing motorcycles.Included are model year 2006-2009 and 2012 Honda GL1800 (Goldwing) motorcycle...
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Model year 2016 Chevy Malibus recalled

The fabric of the side-impact airbag cushion may tear during deployment

General Motors is recalling 18 model year 2016 Chevrolet Malibus manufactured November 18, 2015, to June 7, 2016.

The fabric of the side-impact airbag cushion may tear during deployment.

If the airbag tears during deployment, it may not perform as designed, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

What to do

GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the air bag module, free of charge. The recall began October 27, 2016.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 16079.

General Motors is recalling 18 model year 2016 Chevrolet Malibus manufactured November 18, 2015, to June 7, 2016.The fabric of the side-impact airbag c...
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BMW recalls various xdrive vehicles

The driver's front airbag inflator may have been improperly welded

BMW of North America is recalling 3,606 certain model year 2015 BMW X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, X3 xDrive28d, X4 xDrive28i and X4 xDrive35i vehicles; and model year 2014-2015 X5 xDrive35i, X5 sDrive35i, X5 xDrive50i, and 2014 X5 xDrive35d vehicles.

The vehicles have a driver's front airbag inflator that may have been improperly welded.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's front airbag, the inflator housing could separate from the base plate and result in metal striking vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front airbag, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 11, 2016.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America is recalling 3,606 certain model year 2015 BMW X3 sDrive28i, X3 xDrive28i, X3 xDrive35i, X3 xDrive28d, X4 xDrive28i and X4 xDrive35i v...
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Model year 2016 Toyota Prius vehicles recalled

The front passenger air bag may inflate unintentionally

Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling 7,589 model year 2016 Toyota Prius vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015, to June 14, 2016.

An airbag inflator manufacturing error may result in the inadvertent partial inflation of the front passenger airbag, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin November 13, 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is G0W.

Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling 7,589 model year 2016 Toyota Prius vehicles manufactured November 30, 2015, to June 14, 20...
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Chrysler recalls 1.4 million vehicles in the U.S.

The vehicles' airbags and seat-belt pretensioners may not deploy properly

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling an estimated 1.4 million vehicles in the U.S.

When vehicles equipped with a particular occupant restraint control module and front impact sensor wiring of a specific design are involved in certain collisions, the airbag and seat-belt pretensioners may not deploy properly.

If all these factors are present, there may be an increased potential for occupant injury.

The Company says it is aware of three fatalities and five injuries that may be related to this condition.

The following vehicles are being recalled:

  • 2010 Chrysler Sebring midsize car
  • 2011-2014 Chrysler 200 midsize cars
  • 2010-2012 Dodge Caliber compact car
  • 2010-2014 Dodge Avenger midsize cars
  • 2010-2014 Jeep® Patriot and Compass SUVs 
  • An additional 142,959 of these vehicles are subject to recall in Canada; 81,901 in Mexico, a population that includes the 2010 Chrysler Cirrus compact car; and 284,051 outside North America, which also includes the 2012-2013 Lancia Flavia midsize car.

The occupant restraint controllers or wire routing design found in the recalled vehicles are no longer being used.

What to do

Chrysler will advise affected owners when they may schedule service, which will be performed free of charge.

Owners with questions may call the Chrysler customer care center at (800) 853-1403.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling an estimated 1.4 million vehicles in the U.S. When vehicles equipped with a particular occupant restraint contro...
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Toyota recalls model year 2016 Prius vehicles

The front passenger airbag may inflate improperly

Toyota Motor North America is recalling approximately 7,600 model year 2016 Prius vehicles in the U.S.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with a front passenger airbag containing stored, compressed gas in the inflator. A component in the airbag assembly may have been improperly welded and/or misassembled. If this occurs, the stored gas may escape without a deployment signal and result in the partial inflation of the air bag. This has been observed when the vehicle is parked and unoccupied for a period of time.

An airbag that inflates in this manner can, under some circumstances, increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify all known owners of the recalled vehicles by first class mail beginning in November and Toyota dealers will replace the front passenger airbag assembly with a new one at no cost.

Owners may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987.  

Toyota Motor North America is recalling approximately 7,600 model year 2016 Prius vehicles in the U.S. The recalled vehicles are equipped with a fr...
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Pagani recalls model year 2014-2016 Huayras

The driver side front air bag may not deploy properly

Pagani Automobili SpA is recalling 32 model year 2014-2016 Huayra vehicles manufactured April 21, 2014, to July 29, 2016.

The driver side front air bag may not remain secured adequately to the steering wheel during deployment, and therefore the air bag may deploy improperly increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

What to do

Pagani has notified owners, and dealers will change the fasteners on the steering wheel air bag assembly, free of charge.

The recall began August 16, 2016. Owners may contact Pagani customer service at 1-415-350-7220.

Pagani Automobili SpA is recalling 32 model year 2014-2016 Huayra vehicles manufactured April 21, 2014, to July 29, 2016. The driver side front air...
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BMW recalls model year 2016-2017 MINI Clubman vehicles

The side curtain airbags for front seat occupants may not deploy in the intended positions

BMW of North America is recalling 7,810 model year 2016-2017 MINI Clubman vehicles manufactured August 19, 2015, through July 14, 2016.

The side curtain airbags for the front seat occupants may not deploy in the intended positions in the event of a crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

If a side curtain airbag does not inflate as intended in the event of a crash, there is an increased risk of injury to the front seat occupants.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will modify the driver and passenger side curtain air bag covers, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 12, 2016.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417 or email BMW at CustomerRelations@bmwusa.com.

BMW of North America is recalling 7,810 model year 2016-2017 MINI Clubman vehicles manufactured August 19, 2015, through July 14, 2016. The side cu...
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Model year 2017 Audi Q7s recalled

The front air bags may deploy with more force than required in certain crashes

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 14,535 model year 2017 Audi Q7s manufactured August 30, 2015, to May 8, 2016.

Due to a software issue within the air bag control module, the front air bags may deploy with more force than required in certain crashes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Air bags that deploy with excessive force may increase the risk of injury.

What to do

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will update the air bag control module software, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69O3.

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 14,535 model year 2017 Audi Q7s manufactured August 30, 2015, to May 8, 2016. Due to a software issue with...
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Mazda recalls B-Series trucks

The airbag inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling 3,734 model year 2007-2009 B-Series trucks manufactured June 6, 2006, to January 22, 2009, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Mazda is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 B-Series trucks manufactured February 21, 2006, to April 28, 2008, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

The vehicles are equipped with certain airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin August 16, 2016.

Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9616F.

Mazda North American Operations (Mazda) is recalling 3,734 model year 2007-2009 B-Series trucks manufactured June 6, 2006, to January 22, 2009, originally...
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Nissan recalls model year 2016 LEAF and Sentra vehicles

The wiring harness connector may disconnect from the dual-stage passenger air bag

Nissan North America is recalling 4,355 model year 2016 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and Sentras manufactured February 9, 2016, to March 4, 2016.

The wiring harness connector may disconnect from the dual-stage passenger air bag. As a result, the passenger air bag may not to deploy during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Nissan will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the wiring harness connector for proper engagement and, if necessary, replace the passenger air bag module and main body harness, free of charge.

The recall is expected to begin in late July 2016. Owners may contact Nissan customer service at 1-800-647-7261.

Nissan North America is recalling 4,355 model year 2016 LEAF vehicles manufactured February 24, 2016, to March 23, 2016, and Sentras manufactured February ...
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Risk of Takata airbag inflator ruptures on older cars worse than believed

Model-year 2001-2003 Honda and Acura vehicles are of particular concern

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is making a concerted effort to ensure that older vehicles with Takata airbag inflators -- particularly model-year 2001-2003 Honda and Acura vehicles -- are found and fixed before they cause further injuries or fatalities.

The push comes as a result of new test data, which according to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx show, “as high as a 50% chance of a dangerous airbag inflator rupture in a crash. Folks should not drive these vehicles unless they are going straight to a dealer to have them repaired immediately, free of charge.”

The higher-risk inflators are in the following vehicles:

  • 2001-2002 Honda Civic
  • 2001-2002 Honda Accord
  • 2002-2003 Acura TL
  • 2002 Honda CR-V
  • 2002 Honda Odyssey
  • 2003 Acura CL
  • 2003 Honda Pilot

Manufacturing defect increases risk

The airbag inflators in the above listed vehicles contain a manufacturing defect that, according to NHTSA, greatly increases the potential for dangerous rupture when a crash causes the airbag to deploy.

Ruptures are much more likely to occur in inflators if vehicles have spent significant periods of time in areas of high absolute humidity -- particularly Florida, Texas, other parts of the Gulf Coast, and Southern California. Testing of the inflators from these vehicles show rupture rates as high as 50% in a laboratory setting, the agency stated.

The vehicles in this grouping were recalled between 2008 and 2011. Honda has reported that more than 70% of this higher-risk population of vehicles has already been repaired, but nearly 313,000 vehicles remain unrepaired.

What to do

Drivers of these vehicles should immediately visit SaferCar.gov to check whether their vehicle has any outstanding safety recalls. Those that do should contact their nearest dealer to schedule a no-cost immediate repair. Replacement parts for these vehicles are available immediately.

Nearly 70 million Takata air bag inflators are or will be under recall by 2019, in the largest and most complex auto safety recall in U.S. history.  

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is making a concerted effort to ensure that older vehicles with Takata airbag inflators -- parti...
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Volkswagen recalls model year 2008-2009 Audi A4, A5, and Q5 vehicles

The airbag control units may corrode and fail

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling model year 2008-2009 Audi A4, A5, and Q5 vehicles, in which the airbag control units may corrode and fail.

If the air bag control unit fails, the air bags may not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

What to do

Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69O1.

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling model year 2008-2009 Audi A4, A5, and Q5 vehicles, in which the airbag control units may corrode and fail. ...
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Toyota recalls Prius and Lexus CT vehicles

The airbag inflators could separate

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., is recalling about 482,000 model year 2010 - 2012 Prius; 2010 and 2012 Prius Plug-In Hybrids; and 2011 and 2012 Lexus CT 200h vehicles.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with curtain shield air bags (CSA) in the driver and passenger side roof rails that have air bag inflators composed of two chambers welded together. Some inflators could have a small crack in the weld area joining the chambers, which could grow over time, and lead to the separation of the inflator chambers. This has occurred when the vehicle is parked and unoccupied for a period of time.

If an inflator separates, the CSA could partially inflate, and, in limited circumstances, one or both sections of the inflator could enter the interior of the vehicle. If an occupant is present in the vehicle, there is an increased risk of injury.

What to do

All known owners of the recalled vehicles will be notified by first class mail. Toyota and Lexus dealers will install retention brackets on the curtain shield air bag inflators at no cost. The retention brackets are designed to prevent the inflator chambers from entering the vehicle interior if separation occurs.

Information about automotive recalls, including but not limited to the list of involved vehicles, is subject to change over time.

Owners with questions may call Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987.  

Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., is recalling about 482,000 model year 2010 - 2012 Prius; 2010 and 2012 Prius Plug-In Hybrids; and 2011 and 2012 Lexus CT 200h v...
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Subaru recalls model year 2003-2004 vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation

Subaru of America is recalling 88,131 model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, and Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming, or "Zone C."

These vehicles may be equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-856-488-8500. Subaru's number for this recall is TKC-16. 

Subaru of America is recalling 88,131 model year 2003-2004 Legacy, Outback, and Baja vehicles originally sold or that have ever been registered in Alaska, ...
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Mazda recalls vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation

Mazda North America Operations is recalling 236,280 vehicles in two zones.

The first is “Zone A” and includes model year 2009-2011 Mazda6, 2007-2011 CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Mazda is recalling model year 2007-2008 CX-7 and CX-9 vehicles, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

These vehicles are equipped with certain airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 15, 2016.

Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9516E.

Mazda North America Operations is recalling 236,280 vehicles in two zones. The first is “Zone A” and includes model year 2009-2011 Mazda6, 2007-201...
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Honda recalls motorcycles with airbag inflator issue

The inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation

The American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 2,701 motorcycles in two zones.

The first is “Zone A” and includes model year 2006-2010 Honda GL1800 (Gold Wing) motorcycles manufactured February 8, 2006, to May 14, 2009, originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Unless included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling model year 2006-2008 Honda GL 1800 (Gold Wing) motorcycles manufactured May 10, 2007, to May 14, 2009, originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

Motorcycles not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall.

These motorcycles are equipped with an air bag inflator assembled as part of the air bag module, used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the air bag, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the rider resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag module containing the inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-866-784-1870. Honda's number for this recall is KA8.

The American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 2,701 motorcycles in two zones. The first is “Zone A” and includes model year 2006-2010 Honda GL1800 (Gol...
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Forest River recalls Solera and Coachmen Prism vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation

Forest River is recalling 77 model year 2007-2014 Solera, and Coachmen Prism vehicles, built on Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinter chassis.

Upon deployment of the driver's front air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's front air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Forest River will notify owners, and either Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner dealers will replace the driver front air bag inflator, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Interim notices will be sent beginning June 28, 2016. A second notice will be sent when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact Forest River customer service at 1-877-496-3691 or may call the Sprinter/Takata hotline at 1-877-496-3691. Forest River's number for this recall is 51-04262016-0182.

Forest River is recalling 77 model year 2007-2014 Solera, and Coachmen Prism vehicles, built on Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinter chassis. Up...
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Mercedes-Benz USA recalls vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 199,705 model year 2008-2011 C300 Sedans, C300 4matic Sedans, C350 Sedans, C63 AMG Sedans; 2010-2011 GLK350, GLK350 4-Matics and E350 Coupes; 2011 SLS AMGs, E350 Convertibles, E550 Coupes and E550 Convertibles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, MBUSA is recalling model year 2008 C300 Sedans, C350 Sedans, C63 AMG Sedans and C300 4-Matic Sedans originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag modules, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners will be sent an interim notification in July 2016. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 199,705 model year 2008-2011 C300 Sedans, C300 4matic Sedans, C350 Sedans, C63 AMG Sedans; 2010-2011 GLK350, GLK350 ...
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BMW recalls vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation

BMW of North America is recalling 91,806 model year 2007-2011 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5M vehicles; 2009-2011 X5 xDrive35d vehicles; 2008-2011 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M vehicles; and 2010-2011 X6 ActiveHybrid vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, BMW is recalling model year 2007-2008 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5M vehicles; and 2008 BMW X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6 M vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to high absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag inflator or air bag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 18, 2016.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America is recalling 91,806 model year 2007-2011 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5M vehicles; 2009-2011 X5 xDrive3...
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Jaguar Land Rover North America recalls vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation

Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling 34,334 model year 2007-2011 Land Rover Range Rovers originally sold or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Land Rover is recalling certain model year 2007-2008 Land Rover Range Rovers originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

Vehicles not originally sold or ever registered in either Zones A or B are not subject to this safety recall.

These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front airbags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Land Rover will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag assemblies, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners will be sent an interim notification around July 31, 2016. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's number for this recall is P081.

Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling 34,334 model year 2007-2011 Land Rover Range Rovers originally sold or ever registered, in Alabama, California...
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Volkswagen recalls 217k vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 217,000 model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A."

Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Volkswagen is recalling certain model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2008 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B."

Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Volkswagen is recalling model year 2004 Audi A4 vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal airbag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.


What to do


Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834.

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 217,000 model year 2004-2008 Audi A4, and 2005-2011 Audi A6 vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Alaba...
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General Motors recalls 500k vehicles with airbag inflator issue

The inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation

General Motors is recalling 500,000 model year 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalades; Escalade ESVs;, Escalade EXTs; Chevrolet Avalanches; Silverado 1500s; Suburbans; Tahoes; GMC Sierra 1500s; Yukons; and Yukon XLs originally sold, or ever registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Vehicles not originally sold or ever registered in these states are not subject to this safety recall.

These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal airbag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do


GM has not yet determined a remedy plan nor provided a notification schedule.


Owners may contact Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 49152.

General Motors is recalling 500,000 model year 2007-2008 Cadillac Escalades; Escalade ESVs;, Escalade EXTs; Chevrolet Avalanches; Silverado 1500s; Suburban...
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Ferrari Californias and 458 Italias recalled

Airbag inflators may rupture resulting in serious injury or death to vehicle occupant

Ferrari North America is recalling 2,820 model year 2009-2011 Ferrari Californias manufactured February 16, 2009, to July 8, 2011, and model year 2010-2011 458 Italias manufactured March 5, 2010, to July 29, 2011.

These vehicles are equipped with airbag inflators assembled as part of the passenger front airbag modules, used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment, the inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Ferrari will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag assembly, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Ferrari customer service at 1-866-551-2828. Ferrari's number for this recall is 60.

Ferrari North America is recalling 2,820 model year 2009-2011 Ferrari Californias manufactured February 16, 2009, to July 8, 2011, and model year 2010-2011...
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Mitsubishi recalls Lancers and Lancer Evolutions

Airbag inflators may rupture resulting in serious injury or death to vehicle occupants

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling 38,628 model year 2006-2007 Lancers and Lancer Evolutions manufactured June 29, 2005, to June 19, 2007, equipped with certain airbag inflators.

In the event of a crash necessitating airbag deployment, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

MMNA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front airbag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-16-002.

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling 38,628 model year 2006-2007 Lancers and Lancer Evolutions manufactured June 29, 2005, to June 19, 2007,...
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Right Hand Drive Jeep Wranglers recalled

The driver's front air bag may not deploy in the event of a crash

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 7,180 model year 2011-2016 Right Hand Drive Jeep Wranglers manufactured February 16, 2010, to May 2, 2016.

The clockspring assembly may become contaminated with dust and cause the air bag circuit to fail.

Failure of the air bag circuit may prevent the driver's front air bag from deploying in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the clockspring, wheel back cover, and column shroud, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S40.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 7,180 model year 2011-2016 Right Hand Drive Jeep Wranglers manufactured February 16, 2010, to May 2, 2016. The c...
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Ford recalls Flex, Taurus, Taurus X, Mercury Sable and Lincoln MKS vehicles

The driver front air bag may inflate improperly during second-stage deployment

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Flex; 2008 and 2010-2012 Taurus; 2008-2009 Taurus X; 2008 Mercury Sable; and 2009 & 2011 Lincoln MKS vehicles.

The driver front air bag may inflate improperly during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

What to do

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the driver's front air bag module, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 13, 2016.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 16C06.

Ford Motor Company is recalling certain model year 2009-2012 Flex; 2008 and 2010-2012 Taurus; 2008-2009 Taurus X; 2008 Mercury Sable; and 2009 & 2011 Linco...
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Toyota expands Takata airbag recall

Another 1.5 million vehicles are added to the list

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is expanding its recalls involving Takata front passenger air bag inflators by approximately 1.584 million vehicles.

A safety defect may arise in front passenger air bag inflators in the involved vehicles due to inflator propellant degradation occurring after prolonged exposure to high absolute humidity, high temperatures and high temperature cycling.

This may result in an inflator rupture when the air bag deploys.

Approximately 1,584,000 additional vehicles in U.S. are being recalled. Among them:

  • 2009 - 2011MY Corolla, Matrix
  • 2006 - 2011MY Yaris
  • 2010 - 2011MY 4Runner
  • 2011MY Sienna
  • 2008 - 2011MY Scion xB
  • 2007 - 2011MY Lexus ES
  • 2010 – 2011MY Lexus GX
  • 2006 – 2011MY Lexus IS

What to do

Toyota, Scion and Lexus owners will be notified by first class mail. Depending on the vehicle model, dealers will replace the air bag inflator, or the air bag assembly, at no cost.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987.  

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is expanding its recalls involving Takata front passenger air bag inflators by approximately 1.584 million vehicles. A safe...
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Hawaii sues Takata and Honda over defective airbags

The state wants each company to pay $10,000 for each affected vehicle

Hawaii is suing Takata and Honda, accusing them of covering up defects in Takata's airbags. It's the first state to take Takata to court over the massive recall of airbags, which have been linked to 13 deaths and hundreds of injuries worldwide.

Takata announced today that it is recalling 14 million more airbags, although it doesn't yet know which cars contain the potentially defective units.

Hawaii is seeking $10,000 for each affected vehicle in the state, estimated to be about 70,000. 

“Companies that supply and market goods to Hawai’i consumers are obligated to deliver products that are safe and to provide consumers with full, accurate, and timely information when dangers become known," said Stephen Levins, Executive Director of the State Office of Consumer Protection. "Takata and Honda put their own profits and reputations ahead of honesty and their customers’ safety. We intend to hold them accountable for their conduct.”

Takata is also being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice and faces an avalanche of lawsuits. Federal regulators earlier this month said an additional 40 million Takata airbags need to be replaced, in addition to 28.8 million already recalled.

Hawaii is one of the high-humidity states where the recall was initially focused. In its suit, the state says its tropical climate puts residents at a “significantly greater risk of overly aggressive combustion, rupture, and injury and/or death caused by Takata’s unsafe airbags.”

Hawaii is suing Takata and Honda, accusing them of covering up defects in Takata's airbags. It's the first state to take Takata to court over the massive r...
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Kia recalls Optimas with air bag issue

The second stage of the driver's front air bag will not deploy properly

Kia Motors America is recalling 17 model year 2016 Kia Optimas manufactured November 10, 2015, to February 12, 2016.

A chemical enhancer required for the for the second stage deployment of the driver's front air bag was not loaded, resulting in the second stage not deploying in necessitating crashes, increasing the risk of injury or death.

What to do

Kia will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front air bag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in May 2016.

Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC131.

Kia Motors America is recalling 17 model year 2016 Kia Optimas manufactured November 10, 2015, to February 12, 2016. A chemical enhancer required f...
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Toyota recalls model year 2016 Avalons and Camrys

The front passenger air bag and knee air bag may not deploy as intended

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 58,515 model year 2016 Avalons and Camrys manufactured November 30, 2015, to March 4, 2016.

The occupant classification system (OCS) that activates or deactivates the front passenger seat air bag system may have been calibrated improperly. As a result, the front passenger air bag and knee air bag may not deploy as intended in certain crash scenarios. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Air bags that do not deploy as intended during a crash increase the risk of injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will recalibrate the OCS, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by May 31, 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0J.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 58,515 model year 2016 Avalons and Camrys manufactured November 30, 2015, to March 4, 2016. T...
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Jaguar recalls XF vehicles

The driver front air bags may not deploy properly

Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling five model year 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015 XF vehicles manufactured February 6, 2008 to October 20, 2014.

The driver front air bags may be missing a chemical enhancer required for the second stage deployment, resulting in the second stage deploying improperly in certain crashes increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

Jaguar will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on June 6, 2016.

Owners may contact Jaguar customer service at 1-800-452-4827. Jaguar's number for this recall is J065.

Jaguar Land Rover North America is recalling five model year 2009, 2011, 2012 and 2015 XF vehicles manufactured February 6, 2008 to October 20, 2014....
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Toyota recalls Avalons and Camrys

The front passenger airbag and the front passenger knee airbag may not deploy properly

Toyota Motor Sales is recalling approximately 16,880 Model Year 2016 Avalon and 41,630 model Year 2016 Camry sedans.

The front passenger seat is equipped with an Occupant Classification System (OCS) which activates/deactivates the front passenger air bag system, depending on the weight of the occupant.

There is a possibility that some vehicles may not have received proper OCS calibration during the vehicle manufacturing process. With the improper calibration, under some conditions, the front passenger airbag and the front passenger knee airbag may not deploy as designed in a crash, increasing the risk of an injury to a front seat passenger.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners of the recalled vehicles by first class mail and Toyota dealers will re-calibrate the OCS.

Owners may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

Toyota Motor Sales is recalling approximately 16,880 Model Year 2016 Avalon and 41,630 model Year 2016 Camry sedans. The front passenger seat is eq...
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Model year 2004-2007 Honda Accords recalled

The passenger front air bag module may not comply with the advanced air bag requirements

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 11,602 model year 2004-2007 Accords manufactured October 1, 2003, to August 17, 2007.

The vehicles may have been assembled with an incorrect passenger frontal air bag module that does not comply with the advanced air bag requirements. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

An air bag module does not meet the advanced air bag requirements can increase the risk of injury or death in the event of a crash.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and replace the air bag module as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin May 5, 2016.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's number for this recall is JZ3.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 11,602 model year 2004-2007 Accords manufactured October 1, 2003, to August 17, 2007. The vehicles may have b...
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Houston teen becomes tenth U.S. Takata airbag victim

A minor rear-end collision results in death for 17-year-old

Police used to marvel at how people walked away from head-on accidents that would have killed them prior to the widespread use of airbags. Now they marvel at the people who are killed in minor fender-benders when their airbags explode and hurl tiny pieces of metal into the passenger compartment.

That's what happened to Huma Hanif, 17, when she rear-ended the car in front of her while driving outside Houston in her Honda Civic. A metal fragment became embedded in her neck and she bled out at the scene, police said.

“She wasn’t speeding. The car had only moderate damage,” Sheriff's Office Danny Beckworth said, according to a report in The New York Times. “It’s a crash that we work with every day that everybody walks away from.”

Fatal shortcomings

U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla,) said the death illustrates the shortcomings in the U.S. safety recall program.

“Sadly, this is yet another tragic death caused by a product that Takata knew was defective,” said Nelson.  “And it shows that the current recall efforts are just not getting the job done.  Takata and the automakers have to step up their efforts to locate, notify and fix every impacted car as soon as possible — before anyone else dies."

Investigators said the teen's car had been recalled several times since 2011, but her family said they had never received any recall notices. Honda said it had mailed at least one recall notice to the car's registered owner, a member of the victim's family.

Fourteen automakers have recalled 28 million Takata airbag inflaters in about 28 million vehicles, but millions of them have never been repaired and millions of other vehicles with Takata airbags have not yet been recalled.

Police used to marvel at how people walked away from head-on accidents that would have killed them prior to the widespread use of airbags. Now they marvel...
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GM recalls model year 2016 Malibus

The side air bag may move out of position during deployment

General Motors is recalling 3,137 model year 2016 Malibus manufactured February 16, 2016, to March 5, 2016.

The two weld studs that mount the front and rear side impact air bags may fracture and separate from the air bag during deployment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 214, "Side Impact Protection."

Fractured weld studs may allow the side air bag to move out of position during deployment, increasing the risk of injury.

What to do

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side air bag modules, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 31820.

General Motors is recalling 3,137 model year 2016 Malibus manufactured February 16, 2016, to March 5, 2016. The two weld studs that mount the front...
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GM recalls Chevrolet Colorados, Malibus and GMC Canyons

The driver-side front air bag may inflate improperly

General Motors is recalling 1,579 model year 2016 Chevrolet Colorados manufactured January 19, 2016, to February 2, 2016; Chevrolet Malibus manufactured January 9, 2016, to January 26, 2016; and 2016 GMC Canyon vehicles manufactured January 21, 2016, to February 4, 2016.

The driver-side front air bag may inflate improperly during second-stage deployment in the event of a high speed crash.

An improperly inflated air bag increases the risk of injury.

What to do

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver-side front air bag module, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, and GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 28030.

General Motors is recalling 1,579 model year 2016 Chevrolet Colorados manufactured January 19, 2016, to February 2, 2016; Chevrolet Malibus manufactured Ja...
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Senator wants ammonium nitrate out of airbags past and future

But federal safety regulators say that's not the answer

In an odd way, Takata's explosion-prone airbags may be contributing to highway safety. As the owner of two cars with the recalled devices, I can testify that I am much less likely to mercilessly tailgate slower drivers, knowing that bashing the car in front of me could result in shards of metal penetrating my neck.

But snarking aside, Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) has been putting pressure on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to recall all airbags that use ammonium nitrate to inflate the airbag when a crash occurs. He also wants the NHTSA to require that new airbags use something else.

"With all that we know about these things, they should not be used. This ammonium nitrate should not be used as replacements for the old Takata inflators, and certainly shouldn't be used in the new cars that are produced and sold to consumers," Nelson said in comments on the Senate floor earlier this week.

Nelson made the request in a letter to NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind, adding that he thinks all Takata airbgs that use ammonium nitrate should be recalled.

"New hardships"

But Rosekind says granting Nelson's request would make a bad situation worse. It would "needlessly impose new hardships" on the supply of replacement parts for the 29 million Takata inflators already recalled, he said in a letter to Nelson.

Nelson said consumers need some reassurance that the NHTSA is on the right track.

"Will Takata continue to produce millions of these things? We don't know. We don't know the answer. And are consumers today basically getting a newer version of the old version that has been so defective? No answer to that either," he said. "In other words, are we going to replace an old live grenade with a new live grenade?"

For their part, automakers continue to issue new recalls as they find evidence of potentially defective inflators. Toyota today recalled another 198,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles.  

In an odd way, Takata's explosion-prone airbags may be contributing to highway safety. As the owner of two cars with the recalled devices, I can testify th...
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Toyota expands Takata airbag safety recall

Another 198,000 vehicles are being added

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is expanding two of its recalls involving Takata front passenger air bag inflators.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with a Takata-produced dual-stage front passenger airbag inflator which could potentially be susceptible to rupture when deployed in a crash.

The expansion will add 198,000 Model Year 2008 Corolla and Corolla Matrix and Model Year 2008-2010 Lexus SC430 vehicles, model years of certain vehicles previously recalled and will cover all remaining dual-stage front passenger inflators of a particular type.

What to do

All known owners of the affected Toyota / Lexus vehicles will be notified by first class mail. Dealers will replace the airbag inflator or the airbag assembly with a newly manufactured one at no cost.

Consumers with questions may call Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987.  

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is expanding two of its recalls involving Takata front passenger air bag inflators. The recalled vehicles are equipped with...
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Volkswagen recalls Routans with air bag issue

The air bag control units may corrode and fail

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 1,037 model year 2009 Volkswagen Routans manufactured February 7, 2008, to August 28, 2008.

The air bag control units may corrode and fail resulting in failure of the air bags may to deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury. Additionally, the air bags may inadvertently deploy, increasing the risk of a crash.

What to do

VW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 1,037 model year 2009 Volkswagen Routans manufactured February 7, 2008, to August 28, 2008. The air bag co...
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Toyota recalls vehicles with faulty side curtain-shield-air bags

The side curtain-shield-air bags could deploy inadvertently

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling320,409 model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470; 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia; and 2004-2006 Toyota 4Runner and Lexus GX470 vehicles equipped with side curtain-shield-air bags.

The recalled vehicles have an air bag control module that may be improperly programmed, causing the side curtain-shield-air bags to deploy inadvertently and increasing the risk of occupant injury.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control module with one that has improved programming, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin April 2, 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-271-9371. Toyota's number for this recall is G0C and GLB.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling320,409 model year 2003-2006 Toyota Land Cruiser and Lexus LX470; 2005-2006 Toyota Tundra and Sequoia;...
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Lexus RX350 and RX450h vehicles recalled

The gas needed to inflate the driver's knee air bag may escape from the inflator

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 5,070 model year 2016 Lexus RX350 and RX450h vehicles manufactured November 16, 2015, to December 23, 2015.

Due to an improper weld, the gas needed to inflate the driver's knee air bag may escape from the inflator. A defective inflator may increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

What to do

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the knee air bag assembly, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin March 27, 2016.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is GLA.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 5,070 model year 2016 Lexus RX350 and RX450h vehicles manufactured November 16, 2015, to December 23,...
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General Motors recalls Saabs and Saturns

Excessive internal pressure may cause the driver's-side front air bag inflator to rupture

General Motors is recalling 179,861 model year 2003-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011; 2010-2011 Saab 9-5 vehicles manufactured June 23, 2010, to February 21, 2011; and 2008-2009 Saturn Astra vehicles manufactured April 11, 2007, to July 24, 2008.

Upon deployment of the driver's-side front air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator on Saab 9-3 and 9-5 vehicles and will replace the airbag module on Saturn Astra vehicles, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Saab customer service at 1-800-955-9007 or Saturn customer service at 1-800-553-6000. GM's number for this recall is 28810.

General Motors is recalling 179,861 model year 2003-2011 Saab 9-3 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2002, to February 15, 2011; 2010-2011 Saab 9-5 vehicles man...
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BMW recalls vehicles with air bag inflator issue

The driver-side front air bag inflator could rupture

BMW of North America is recalling 840,000 model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes; 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 330i, 330xi, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive Sedans; 2009-2011 335d sedans; 2006-2012 325xiT, 328i and 328xi sports wagons; 2007-2013 328i, 328xi, 328i xDrive, 335i, 335xi, 335i xDrive, 335is and M3 Coupes and Convertibles; 2013-2015 X1 sDrive28i, X1 xDrive28i and X1 xDrive35i SAVs; 2007-2010 X3 xDrive30i SAVs; 2007-2013 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M SAVs; 2009-2013 BMW X5 xDrive35d SAVs; 2008-2014 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M SACs; 2010-2011 BMW X6 xDrive50i SACs; and 2008-2011 M3 Sedan vehicles.

Upon deployment of the driver-side front air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front air bag, free of charge. Parts are not currently available. Owners will be mailed an interim notification beginning March 31, 2016. A second notice will be mailed when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.

BMW of North America is recalling 840,000 model year 2008-2013 128i and 135i coupes and convertibles and 1 Series M coupes; 2006-2011 325i, 325xi, 328i, 32...
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Honda recalls 2.23 million vehicles with air bag inflator issue

Moisture intrusion, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 2.23 million model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V; 2011-2015 CR-Z; 2010-2014 FCX Clarity, and Insight; 2009-2013 Fit; 2013-2014 Fit EV; 2007-2014 Ridgeline; 2013-2016 Acura ILX; 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid; 2007-2016 RDX; 2005-2012 Acura RL;2009-2014 Acura TL; and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX vehicles.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver front air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

What to do

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the inflator, free of charge. Remedy parts are expected to be available in Fall 2016. Interim notices will be mailed to owners beginning on March 14, 2016. Owners will receive a second notice when remedy parts become available.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are JX2, JX3 and JX4.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 2.23 million model year 2007-2011 Honda CR-V; 2011-2015 CR-Z; 2010-2014 FCX Clarity, and Insight; 2009-2013 Fit; 2013...
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Volkswagen Tiguans and Audi Q5s recalled

The air bag inflators may rupture in the event of a crash

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 734 model year 2015 Volkswagen Tiguans manufactured January 15, 2015, to January 21, 2015, and 2015 Audi Q5s manufactured January 13, 2015, to February 3, 2015.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with driver and front seat passenger seat-mounted air bag inflators that may rupture in the event of a crash. Metal fragments could strike the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Volkswagen will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side air bag modules, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-822-2834 or Volkswagen customer service at 1-800-893-5298.

Volkswagen's number for this recall is 69M1 (for Audi) and 69L9 (for VW).

Volkswagen Group of America is recalling 734 model year 2015 Volkswagen Tiguans manufactured January 15, 2015, to January 21, 2015, and 2015 Audi Q5s manuf...
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Honda recalls older Accords

The air bag control units may corrode and fail

American Honda Motor Company is recalling 341,444 model year 2008-2010 Accords.

The air bag control units may corrode and fail, resulting in a failure of the air bags to deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control units, free of charge. Parts are expected to be available in Fall 2016. Interim notifications will be mailed to owners beginning on March 15, 2016, and a second notice will be mailed when remedy parts are available.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009. Honda's number for this recall is JW9.

American Honda Motor Company is recalling 341,444 model year 2008-2010 Accords. The air bag control units may corrode and fail, resulting in a fail...
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Chrysler recalls vans with air bag issue

The air bag control units may corrode and fail

FCA US LLC (Chrysler) is recalling 112,001 model year 2009 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured December 31, 2007, to August 31, 2008; 2008-2009 Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles manufactured June 18, 2007, to August 31, 2008; and 2009 Volkswagen Routan vehicles manufactured August 11, 2008, to August 31, 2008.

The air bag control units may corrode and fail, which could result in failure of the air bags to deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of occupant injury. Additionally, the air bags may inadvertently deploy, increasing the risk of a crash.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the air bag control unit, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S07.

FCA US LLC (Chrysler) is recalling 112,001 model year 2009 Dodge Journey vehicles manufactured December 31, 2007, to August 31, 2008; 2008-2009 Dodge Grand...
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No end in sight for Takata airbag recalls; safety advocates want executives imprisoned

Honda is expected to add 2.3 million vehicles to the recall list today

There is no end in sight for the Takata airbag crisis. As the number of recalls continues to grow, consumers and Congress grow restless, and safety advocates call for criminal prosecutions and imprisonment of top executives.

In the latest development, Honda said it is expanding its recall of late-model Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the devices, possibly adding as many as 2.3 million vehicles to the recall list. The company told dealers of the decision last week and is expected to make it public today (Thursday).

With as many as 60 million defective airbag inflators potentially on the recall list, Takata Corp. faces an uncertain future. The staggering cost of the recalls is expected to endanger the company's future even as the plodding pace of the recall endangers the lives of consumers everytime they take the wheel. CEO Shigehisa Takada, grandson of the company's founder, may be forced to resign as the amount of money needed to carry out the recalls continues to rise, recent reports have said.

Jail time

Of course, there are worse things than resigning. Going to prison is one of them -- and that's what safety crusader Clarence Ditlow says should happen. He says the grisly injuries inflicted by the defective Takata airbag inflators are the result of corporate greed and should be punished by a harsh prison sentence.

According to Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, Takata decided in the year 2000 to stop using sodium azide as a propellant in its airbags and replaced it with ammonium nitrate, "an incredibly powerful explosive."

"It’s what Terry McVeigh used to bring down the government office building in Oklahoma City. It’s what a lot of terrorists in the Mideast are using in the improvised explosive devices. And so, yet this propellant that Takata used, it was known to degrade, known to explode, they put it into the airbag inflator to save, once again, a few pennies per inflator," Ditlow said in a radio interview.

Obama urged to act

In the U.S. Senate, Democrats Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) urged President Obama to recall every vehicle with airbags using ammonium nitrate as their propellant, and to use “every tool at his disposal” to accelerate the repair of all vehicles with potentially-lethal Takata airbags.

The renewed calls for action follow the December death of Joel Knight in South Carolina, who was killed when his truck struck a stray cow. Instead of cushioning the impact from the wreck, the airbag ruptured, firing shrapnel into Mr. Knight’s neck and killing him, The New York Times reported.

The senators said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) "has consistently deferred to Takata," allowing some automakers to take voluntary rather than mandatory actions to recall and replace defective airbags and later by limited mandatory recalls to "high-humidity" states on the theory that the problem would not occur in low-humidity climates.

"This, coupled with NHTSA’s willingness to allow Takata to take until the end of 2018 to prove that ammonium nitrate is safe in existing airbags; and until 2019 to show that the latest models of the inflators that use the compound are safe, is an outrageous dereliction of NHTSA’s basic duty to protect consumers,” the senators said in a letter to Obama.

As of the end of December 2015, 23 million airbags in 19 million vehicles had been recalled in the U.S. Two weeks ago, Takata agreed to recall another 5.1 million inflators and Honda is expected to recall another 2.3 million today.

Most of the recalls have not yet been carried out. It's estimated that only about a third of the potentially deadly inflators have actually been replaced.

There is no end in sight for the Takata airbag crisis. As the number of recalls continues to grow, consumers and Congress grow restless, and safety advocat...
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Mazda B-Series trucks recalled

The vehicles are equipped with Takata driver-side front airbag inflators

Mazda is recalling approximately 19,000 model year 2004-2006 model year B-Series trucks with Takata driver-side front air bag inflators in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Saipan.

There have been no reports of accidents or injuries on the Mazda-badged vehicles subject to this recall.

Model year 2007-2009 B-Series Trucks with Takata passenger-side front air bag inflators are part of a previous recall.

The following Mazda models with passenger- and/or driver-side front Takata air bag inflators are currently being recalled:

  • Total Number of Driver’s frontal air bag inflator - 442,266
  • Total Number of Passenger’s frontal air bag inflator - 416,475
  • 2003-2008 Mazda6
  • 2004-2006 B-Series
  • 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6
  • 2004-2008 RX-8 (All Driver-side / Certain Passenger-side)
  • 2004 MPV (Certain Vins only. Click here to see if your vehicle is included.)

Consumers with questions may contact Tamara Mlynarczyk at 202-467-5092 or Jeremy Barnes, 949-727-6844.

Mazda is recalling approximately 19,000 model year 2004-2006 model year B-Series trucks with Takata driver-side front air bag inflators in the U.S., Puerto...
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Five million more vehicles recalled after Ford pickup driver killed by airbag fragments

The latest recall includes Ford, VW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz models, among others

The death of a Ford pickup truck driver has touched off a massive recall of about 5 million additional vehicles equipped with Takata airbags. The new recalls include vehicle manufactured by Volkswagen, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Ford, who had escaped previous recalls.

The recalls are based on continuing tests of the Takata airbags and on the investigation in to the death of a South Carolina man whose 2006 Ford Ranger struck a cow in Georgia, Automotive News reported.

The truck's airbags deployed and the driver was struck by flying metal parts from the airbag inflator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.

The latest recall brings the total number of vehicles recalled because of Takata airbag inflators to 28 million worldwide, 24 million in the U.S. 

About 4 million other vehicles will be recalled due to additional testing on Takata airbags, including vehicles from Honda, VW and other automakers, NHTSA said today.

Takata has been fined $70 million for safety violations and could face additional penalties of up to $130 million. 

The death of a Ford pickup truck driver has touched off a massive recall of about 5 million additional vehicles equipped with Takata airbags. The new recal...
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Mazda6, Mazdaspeed6 and RX-8 vehicles recalled

Inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash

Mazda North American Operations is recalling 374,519 model year 2003-2008 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured May 29, 2002, to May 5, 2008, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles manufactured July 1, 2005, to June 29, 2007, and a limited production of model year 2004 RX-8 vehicles manufactured June 25, 2003, to June 30, 2003.

The inflators in the front passenger air bags are susceptible to rupture in the event of a crash necessitating the deployment of the front passenger air bag.

A rupture could result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger's frontal air bag with a new one, free of charge.

Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 9015L.

Mazda North American Operations is recalling 374,519 model year 2003-2008 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured May 29, 2002, to May 5, 2008, 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 ...
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Mercedes-Benz recalls vehicles with air bag issue

The air bag control unit may corrode and cause the control unit to malfunction

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 126,260 model year 2008-2009 C300 Sedan, C300 4Matic, C63 AMG, and C350 vehicles, and 2010 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic vehicles.

Due to a manufacturing error, the air bag control unit may corrode and cause the control unit to malfunction. The malfunctioning air bag control unit may cause the air bags to unexpectedly deploy increasing the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.

Alternatively, the air bag control unit malfunction may cause the air bags to not deploy in the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, increasing the risk of occupant injury.

MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the air bag control unit and replace it, as necessary, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) is recalling 126,260 model year 2008-2009 C300 Sedan, C300 4Matic, C63 AMG, and C350 vehicles, and 2010 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic ...
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Honda dumps Takata, says it manipulated test data

After six deaths and millions of recalls, the decision doesn't seem too surprising

Millions of cars have been recalled, at least six people have been killed, hundreds have been injured and Takata has been fined up to $200 million because of an apparent defect that can cause airbags to explode and hurl pieces of metal into cars' passenger compartments.

Yet, automakers have largely stuck with Takata, continuiing to install its equipment in new cars even as they work to carry out the expensive and time-consuming recalls of millions of existing cars.

But Honda has finally broken with Takata, saying it will no longer use the company's front driver or passenger airbag inflaters in new models, alleging the Japanese company misrepresented and manipulated test data, the Wall Street Journal reported. 

“Honda expects its suppliers to act with integrity at all times and we are deeply troubled by this apparent behavior by one of our suppliers,” the automaker said in a prepared statement. 

Honda, which owns a small part of Takata and is its largest customer, said it had reviewed millions of pages of internal Takata documents and found that it had manipulated test results and misrepresented safety data.

Earlier in the day, Takata CEO Shigehisa Takada said the company would stop using ammonium nitrate propellant in its inflaters, replacing it with guanidine nitrate, which is thought to be safer. Another Takata executive denied Honda's allegations of manipulated data, saying it "did not happen."

Millions of cars have been recalled, at least six people have been killed, hundreds have been injured and Takata has been fined up to $200 million because ...
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Takata fined $200 million, ordered to phase out troublesome airbag component

Safety regulators order faster, prioritized action to get defective airbags off the road

Airbag manufacturer Takata has been hit with a $200 million fine, the largest civil penalty in the history of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Takata was also ordered to accelerate recalls of defective airbag inflators and ordered to phase out the use of ammonium nitrate propellant, the chemical thought to be the cause of explosive airbat ruptures that have killed at least seven people in the United States and injured nearly 100 more.

“For years, Takata has built and sold defective products, refused to acknowledge the defect, and failed to provide full information to NHTSA, its customers, or the public,” said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “The result of that delay and denial has harmed scores of consumers and caused the largest, most complex safety recall in history. Today’s actions represent aggressive use of NHTSA’s authority to clean up these problems and protect public safety.”

The consent order issued to Takata also lays out a schedule for recalling all Takata ammonium nitrate inflators now on the roads, unless the company can prove they are safe or can show it has determined why its inflators are prone to rupture.

Aware of the defect

As part of the consent order, Takata has admitted that it was aware of a defect but failed to issue a timely recall, a violation of the Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

NHTSA also issued findings that Takata provided NHTSA with selective, incomplete or inaccurate data dating back to at least 2009, and continuing through the agency’s current investigation, and that Takata also provided its customers with selective, incomplete or inaccurate data.

Of that $200 million fine, $70 million is payable in cash. An additional $130 million would become due if Takata fails to meet its commitments or if additional violations of the Safety Act are discovered.

The order also imposes what NHTSA called "unprecedented oversight" on Takata for the next five years, including an independent monitor selected by NHTSA to assess, track and report the company’s compliance with the phase-out schedule.

“Today, we are holding Takata responsible for its failures, and we are taking strong action to protect the traveling public,” said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. “We are accelerating Takata recalls to get safe air bags into American vehicles more quickly, ensuring that consumers at the greatest risk are protected, and addressing the long-term risk of Takata’s use of a suspect propellant.”

"Pivot point"

In a prepared statement, Takata CEO Shigehisa Takada said he "deeply regret[s] the circumstances that led to this Consent Order."

"This settlement is an important step forward for Takata that will enable us to focus on rebuilding the trust of automakers, regulators and the driving public," Takada said. "We will comply with all aspects of the settlement and are committed to being part of the solution.”  

Prioritize recalls

In addition, Takata and the 12 vehicle manufacturers involved in the existing Takata recalls are ordered to prioritize their remedy programs based on risk, and establishes a schedule by which they must have sufficient parts on hand to remedy the defect for all affected vehicles. 

NHTSA is using for the first time legal authority which was established in the 2000 TREAD Act to allow the agency to accelerate safety defect repairs if manufacturers’ remedy plans are likely to put Americans at risk.

NHTSA announced in June that it was considering use of that authority, and has since gathered information and comment from vehicle manufacturers, parts suppliers and the public as part of a proceeding to determine whether and how to best address recalls involving more than 23 million inflators, 19 million vehicles and 12 automakers.

Airbag manufacturer Takata has been hit with a $200 million fine, the largest civil penalty in the history of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administr...
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Honda recalls CR-Vs

The driver's front air bag inflator could rupture

American Honda Motor Company is recalling 515 model year 2016 CR-Vs manufactured October 12, 2015, to October 19, 2015.

The metal housing surrounding the driver's air bag inflator in these vehicles may have been manufactured incorrectly. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's front air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin December 4, 2015.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009. Honda’s number for this recall is JV9.

American Honda Motor Company is recalling 515 model year 2016 CR-Vs manufactured October 12, 2015, to October 19, 2015. The metal housing surrounding the...
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Honda recalls model year 2008-2009 Accords

Slamming the door could cause the air bags to deploy

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 303,904 model year 2008-2009 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured January 22, 2007, to June 30, 2008.

The side impact sensor calibrations may be overly sensitive, and as a result, the side air bag inflatable curtains and/or seat air bags may unexpectedly deploy when the ignition is on and the door is slammed or there is an impact with road debris. Air bags that unexpectedly deploy increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will update the air bag control unit software, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on December 14, 2015.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JV4.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 303,904 model year 2008-2009 Honda Accord vehicles manufactured January 22, 2007, to June 30, 2008. The side impact...
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Toyota recalls model year 2016 Tacoma trucks

Incorrect bolts were used to install the driver's knee air bag module

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 306 model year 2016 Tacoma trucks manufactured August 20, 2015, to September 10, 2015.

Incorrect bolts were used to install the driver's knee air bag module. The bolts may loosen over time and affect the performance of the driver's knee air bag, increasing the risk of driver injury during a crash that necessitates deployment of the air bags.

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct driver's knee air bag module mounting bolts, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by December 12, 2015.

Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's number for this recall is F0T.

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing is recalling 306 model year 2016 Tacoma trucks manufactured August 20, 2015, to September 10, 2015. Incorrect bo...
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Buick LaCrosse; Cadillac XTS; Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu; and GMC Terrain vehicles recalled

The front seat-mounted side impact air bag inflator may rupture

General Motors is recalling 395 model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles.

The vehicles have front seat-mounted side impact air bags whose inflator may rupture upon its deployment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of one or both of the side impact air bags, the air bag's inflator may rupture and the air bag may not properly inflate. The rupture could cause metal fragments to strike the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death. Additionally, if the air bag does not properly inflate, the driver or passenger is at an increased risk of injury.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the side impact air bag modules, free of charge. The recall began on October 19, 2015.

Owners may contact Buick customer service at 1-800-521-7300, Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, Cadillac customer service at 1-800-458-8006, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 01320.

General Motors is recalling 395 model year 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS, Chevrolet Camaro, Equinox, Malibu, and GMC Terrain vehicles. The vehicles h...
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Takata side airbags in VWs and GM vehicles may have faulty inflaters

Safety regulators say their probe is expanding to front and side Takata airbags

What with the dirty diesel scandal and all those defective ignition switches, Volkswagen and General Motors have had their share of problems lately, but there may be more on the way.

Federal safety regulators say newer side airbags in some VW and GM models may be at risk of rupturing violently, just like the older front airbags that have led to recalls of 19 million cars made by 12 automakers.

At a briefing yesterday, the head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Mark Rosekind, said it is not yet known how many vehicles could be affected, but the agency's investigation has been expanded to include newer airbags and side airbags.

The problem with the Takata inflaters is that they can rupture violently, spewing small, shrapnel-like pieces of metal into the passenger compartment. At least eight deaths and hundreds of injuries have been attributed to the problem.

The investigation began to expand over the summer when a Takata side airbag in a 2015 VW Tiguan ruptured. Last weekend, General Motors recalled about 400 cars after Takata said the side airbags used in the affected models had failed its safety tests.

NHTSA officials now say their investigation does not include all Takata inflaters that use ammonium nitrate as a propellant. 

Takata said it is cooperating in the investigation. 

What with the dirty diesel scandal and all those defective ignition switches, Volkswagen and General Motors have had their share of problems lately, but th...
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Toyota recalls Tacoma pickup trucks

The knee air bag could malfunction

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is recalling approximately 310 Model Year 2016 Tacoma Pickup Trucks.

The driver’s knee air bag module may have been attached to the instrument panel with incorrect bolts, resulting in the bolts loosening over time. A loosened bolt could affect the performance of the knee air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Vehicles owners will be notified by first class mail and Toyota dealers will replace the bolts with bolts of the correct specification.

Consumers may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331, or Lexus Customer Service at 1-800-255-3987.  

Toyota Motor Sales, USA is recalling approximately 310 Model Year 2016 Tacoma Pickup Trucks. The driver’s knee air bag module may have been attached to t...
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Land Rover Range Rover Sport vehicles recalled

The vehicles do not meet federal air bag standards

Land Rover is recalling 5,914 model year 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vehicles manufactured December 16, 2013, to April 15, 2014.

The owner's handbook information may incorrectly describe the functionality of the Air Bag Status Indicator Lamp. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with requirements of the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

An occupant who does not correctly understand the air bag functionality, may be at an increased risk of injury in a crash.

Land Rover will notify owners and send out an owner's handbook supplement to all affected owners, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 31, 2015.

Owners may call Land Rover customer service at 1-800-637-6837. Land Rover's recall number is P071.

Land Rover is recalling 5,914 model year 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Sport vehicles manufactured December 16, 2013, to April 15, 2014. The owner's handbo...
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Mitsubishi recalls Mirage and i-MiEV vehicles

The front air bag may have a delayed deployment and/or the side and curtain air bag may not deploy

Mitsubishi Motors North America is recalling 13,558 model year 2014 Mitsubishi Mirages manufactured July 27, 2013, to November 20, 2013, and 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV vehicles manufactured October 28, 2011, to September 7, 2012.

Due to an increased resistance in the impact sensor for the air bag system, in the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the frontal, side and/or curtain air bags when the SRS warning is illuminated, the frontal air bag may have a delayed deployment and/or the side and curtain air bag may not deploy at all.

An air bag that does not deploy or deploys late, increases the risk of occupant injury.

Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected impact sensors, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-15-011.

Mitsubishi Motors North America is recalling 13,558 model year 2014 Mitsubishi Mirages manufactured July 27, 2013, to November 20, 2013, and 2012 Mitsubish...
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Honda recalls Odysseys with air bag issue

The vehicles do not meet the advanced air bag safety standards

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 37 model year 2003 Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 28, 2002, to August 30, 2002.

The vehicles were manufactured with air bag modules, preventing them from meeting the advanced air bag safety standards. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Air bags that do not meet the safety requirements increase the risk of occupant injury in the event of a crash.

Honda will notify owners, dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin October 6, 2015.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is JU0.

American Honda Motor Co. is recalling 37 model year 2003 Odyssey vehicles manufactured August 28, 2002, to August 30, 2002. The vehicles were manufacture...
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GM recalls Chevy Impalas

The front passenger air bag may deploy with a child seat in the front passenger seat

General Motors is recalling 5,493 model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impalas manufactured April 15, 2013, to June 19, 2015, equipped with front vented-heated passenger seats.

The Automatic Occupant Sensing (AOS) system may fail to suppress the front passenger air bag if a child seat is in the front passenger seat. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

If the front passenger air bag deploys with a child seat in the front passenger seat, the risk of injury to the child is increased.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will correct the calibration-learning error by preconditioning the empty seat, and also resetting the ECU to a seat zero-value, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020. GM's number for this recall is 15400.

General Motors is recalling 5,493 model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Impalas manufactured April 15, 2013, to June 19, 2015, equipped with front vented-heated p...
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Volvo XC90 vehicles recalled

The third row seating side curtain air bags may not inflate fully

Volvo Cars of N.A. is recalling 3,911 model year 2016 Volvo XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to July 10, 2015.

The third row seating side curtain air bags may not inflate fully.

Underinflated air bags may not fully protect third row occupants, increasing the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Volvo will notify owners, and dealers will modify the D-pillar interior panels to allow full inflation of the third row airbags, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on September 14, 2015.

Owners may contact Volvo customer service at 1-201-768-7300.

Volvo Cars of N.A. is recalling 3,911 model year 2016 Volvo XC90 vehicles manufactured January 27, 2015, to July 10, 2015. The third row seating side cur...
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Senators urge recall of all Takata airbags

The move follows the explosion of an airbag in a 2015 Volkswagen

Another chapter in the Takata airbag scandal opened yesterday with the revelation that an airbag in a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan had exploded after the car hit a deer. Previously, similar incidents have been confined to older cars.

Now, two U.S. senators who sit on the Senate panel that has been looking into the Takata situation are asking for the recall of all cars equipped with Takata airbags.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Edward Markey (D-Mass.),,today called on the airbag manufacturer to voluntarily recall all vehicles with Takata airbags and to immediately make public data related to the testing of Takata’s airbags, so that it can be reviewed by independent experts and analysts.

Argument not persuasive

Takata has denied that the Tiguan incident is linked to earlier explosions that sent shrapnel into passenger compartments causing deaths and injuries,but that explanation isn't being well-received by Blumenthal and Markey, as they make clear in a letter,to Takata.

“As new reports surface of explosions in the latest models of Takata airbags, we write to express our deep concern over the obfuscation and delay that your company has engaged in while searching for a root cause of these defects," the senators said.

"Takata’s defective airbags have already caused at least eight deaths and more than one-hundred injuries in the United States – numbers that may increase as further cases come to light – and it is essential for your company to do all it can to identify and address the cause of this problem."

17 million so far

More than 17 million older cars have already been recalled because they contain Takata airbags similar to those that have exploded. Takata initially said the problem was limited to regions with high heat and humidity but the recalls were later expanded nationally.

"In light of the most recent incident, which did not occur in one of the regions originally designated as “high humidity,” and which involved a 2015 vehicle not currently subject to recall, we urge you to voluntarily recall,all,vehicles containing Takata airbags,” the senators' letter concluded.

,

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into the Tiguan incident and has ordered VW and Takata to answer a series of questions and provide data that may help investigators get to the bottom of the problem.

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Another chapter in the Takata airbag scandal opened yesterday with the revelation that an airbag in a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan had exploded after the car hit...
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Chrysler recalls Dodge Chargers

The side air bag inflatable curtains and seat air bags may unexpectedly deploy

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 284,153 model year 2011-2014 Dodge Chargers manufactured May 6, 2010, to June 5, 2014.

The side impact sensor calibrations may be overly sensitive, and as a result, the side air bag inflatable curtains and seat air bags may unexpectedly deploy and the seat belt pre-tensioners may activate, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the Occupant Restraint Control module calibration, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R35.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 284,153 model year 2011-2014 Dodge Chargers manufactured May 6, 2010, to June 5, 2014. The side impact sensor calibrat...
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Chrysler recalls Ram trucks with air bag issue

The side impact sensor calibrations may be overly sensitive resulting in unexpected air bag deployment

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 667,406 model year 2013-2015 Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks manufactured June 20, 2012, to January 26, 2015.

The side impact sensor calibrations may be overly sensitive, and as a result, the side air bag inflatable curtains and seat air bags may deploy unexpectedly and the seat belt pre-tensioners may activate. Air bags that deploy unexpectedly increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the Occupant Restraint Control module calibration, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R23.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 667,406 model year 2013-2015 Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks manufactured June 20, 2012, to January 26, 2015. The side...
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Over 1 million Ram trucks recalled

An electrical short could cause driver's frontal air bag to deploy unexpectedly

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 1,060,531 model year 2012-2014 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured January 18, 2011, to October 7, 2014, and equipped with the Electronic Vehicle Information Center option.

The vehicles have a steering wheel wiring harness that may rub against the driver air bag module retainer spring. This abrasion could result in an electrical short that could cause driver's frontal air bag to unexpectedly deploy. Inadvertent deployment of the air bag may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect, repair as necessary, and secure the steering wheel wiring harness. Additionally, protective caps will be added to the air bag retainer spring ends. These repairs will be done free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 19, 2015.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R36.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling 1,060,531 model year 2012-2014 Ram 1500, 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 trucks manufactured January 18, 2011, to October 7, ...
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Ferrari recalls vehicles with air bag issue

The driver side air bag module may have been improperly assembled

Ferrari North America is recalling 814 model year 2015 Ferrari 458 Italia, 458 Spider, 458 Speciale, 458 Speciale A, California T, FF, F12 Berlinetta, and LaFerrari vehicles manufactured December 19, 2014, to April 29, 2015.

The vehicles may be equipped with a driver side air bag module that was improperly assembled, which can cause the air bag to deploy in a rotated orientation. In the event of a crash, the deployment of the driver's air bag in a rotated orientation increases the risk of injury.

Ferrari will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front Driver's Side Air Bag Module, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on July 30, 2015.

Owners may contact Ferrari customer service at 1-866-551-2828. Ferrari's number for this recall is 57.

Ferrari North America is recalling 814 model year 2015 Ferrari 458 Italia, 458 Spider, 458 Speciale, 458 Speciale A, California T, FF, F12 Berlinetta, and ...
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Honda's long airbag nightmare may not be over

The company says it used some of the ARC airbags now being investigated

For Honda, the long airbag nightmare just keeps getting worse. The Japanese automaker has already recalled 20 million cars made with Takata airbags, blamed for killing at least eight people, and now the company says it used inflators made by ARC Automotive Corp.

The National Highway Traffic Safeway Administration (NHTSA) said earlier this week that it was opening an investigation into a couple of recent accidents involving ARC airbags.

Honda said it used ARC inflators from 2000 to 2001 and is checking how many vehicles are involved and whether there is a need to recall them. ARC Automotive, based in Knoxville, Tenn., said it is cooperating with investigators.

“This shows the difficulty of making safe inflators,” said Takeshi Miyao, an analyst at researcher Carnorama in Tokyo, according to a report in Automotive News. “The authorities and the industry have also become more sensitive about the matter of airbag safety due to the Takata issue.” 

Not many complaints but ...

Consumers rate Honda

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) said Tuesday that it received a complaint back in 2009 involving a driver's side airbag in a 2002 Chrysler Town and Country minivan. The inflator reportedly ruptured, spraying bits of metal into the cabin. ODI found no other incidents at that time.

Then last month, Korean automaker KIA notified ODI that it was a target of a lawsuit claiming that the inflator in the driver's side airbag in a 2004 Optima had ruptured. ODI said it went back to the 2009 report and found the inflators in the airbags in both the Town and Country and the Optima were manufactured by ARC Automotive.

The inflator in both airbags was a hybrid design that relies on two different sources of energy. The inflator fills the air bag cushion by releasing an inert gas stored in the inflator at high pressure. This gas mixture is augmented by an ammonium nitrate based propellant.

“Preliminary analysis indicates that the exhaust path for the inflation gas mixture may have been blocked by an object of indeterminate origin,” ODI said in a document filing. “This blockage appears to have caused high internal pressure and subsequent rupture of the inflator assembly.”

Has your airbag been recalled?

All the publicity surrounding the Takata airbag recall has many consumers worried about whether they may be driving around with an explosive device in their dashboard that's just waiting to spray them with metal fragments.

After all, many recalled cars are never taken in to dealers and used car owners, in particular, can't be sure their car is up to snuff.

What can you do?

To check specifically on airbags, see the Center for Auto Safety's website. It has a 45-page .pdf list of U.S. airbag recalls arranged by auto manufacturer.

You can check for all types of recalls by typing your VIN number into NHTSA's Recall Look-Up form.

For Honda, the long airbag nightmare just keeps getting worse. The Japanese automaker has already recalled 20 million cars made with Takata airbags, blamed...
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Subaru recalls Impreza 4-Door and Station Wagon vehicless

The front passenger air bag may not deploy in some circumstances

Subaru of America is recalling 32,400 2012 model year Subaru Impreza 4-Door and Station Wagon vehicles (except WRX/STI models) manufactured April 21, 2011, to February 16, 2012.

The Occupant Detection System (ODS) may deactivate if a front seat passenger operates a device that is plugged into the power outlet such as a music player or cell phone, or touches a metal part of the vehicle such as the forward/rearward seat adjuster lever.

If the ODS deactivates, the front passenger air bag will be turned off and the front passenger air bag will not deploy in the event of a crash, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupant.

Subaru will notify owners, and dealers will replace the Occupant Control Unit with a modified one, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Subaru's number for this recall is WQT-55.

Subaru of America is recalling 32,400 2012 model year Subaru Impreza 4-Door and Station Wagon vehicles (except WRX/STI models) manufactured April 21, 2011,...
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Feds begin probe of second airbag manufacturer

Investigators looking into two incidents similar to Takata's rupturing inflators

Hot on the heels of recalls of millions of cars equipped with Takata airbags, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has begun an investigation of another brand of airbag component that may have a similar defect.

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) reports it received a complaint back in 2009 involving a driver's side airbag in a 2002 Chrysler Town and Country minivan. The inflator reportedly ruptured, spraying bits of metal into the cabin.

ODI said it searched for similar incidents but found none. Fast forward to last month, as recalls of cars equipped with Takata airbags piled up.

KIA target of suit

In June, Korean automaker KIA notified ODI that it was a target of a lawsuit claiming that the inflator in the driver's side airbag in a 2004 Optima had ruptured. ODI said it went back to the 2009 report and found the inflators in the airbags in both the Town and Country and the Optima were manufactured by ARC Automotive.

The inflator in both airbags was a hybrid design that relies on two different sources of energy. The inflator fills the air bag cushion by releasing an inert gas stored in the inflator at high pressure. This gas mixture is augmented by an ammonium nitrate based propellant.

“Preliminary analysis indicates that the exhaust path for the inflation gas mixture may have been blocked by an object of indeterminate origin,” ODI said in a document filing. “This blockage appears to have caused high internal pressure and subsequent rupture of the inflator assembly.”

Only two reports

ODI said that as far as it knows, the two incidents – one in Ohio and one in New Mexico – are the only ones to have been reported. It also says the root cause of the rupture is not known.

ODI said it is opening the investigation to collect the facts and learn if there is a widespread flaw in inflators. It says there are approximately 420,000 2002 Chrysler Town and Country vehicles on the road and 70,000 2004 KIA Optimas.

Japanese manufacturer Takata has recalled more than 40 million vehicles in the U.S. because of exploding airbag inflators. The pieces of metal blasted into passenger compartments are blamed for more than 100 injuries and eight deaths.

The Takata-related recall drama has played out throughout 2015. The problem first came to light late last year, but from the start NHTSA found the manufacturer's cooperation lacking. In February it leveled a $14,000 a day fine against the firm until it provided additional documentation.

It was not until May, under intense prodding from NHTSA, that Takata ordered the first recall.

Hot on the heels of recalls of millions of cars equipped with Takata airbags, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) has begun a...
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Dodge Challengers with air bag issue recalled

The front air bag inflator could rupture

Chrysler (FCA US) is recalling 88,346 model year 2008-2010 Dodge Challengers manufactured September 19, 2007, to October 29, 2010.

The dual-stage driver front air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's front air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's front air bag inflator, free of charge. Parts to remedy the vehicles are not currently available. Interim notices will be mailed to owners beginning August 14, 2015. Owners will be sent a second notice when remedy parts become available.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R37.

Chrysler (FCA US) is recalling 88,346 model year 2008-2010 Dodge Challengers manufactured September 19, 2007, to October 29, 2010. The dual-stage driver ...
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Mazda recalls vehicles with air bag issue

The air bag inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants

Mazda North American Operations is recalling  444,907 model year 2003-2008 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured May 29, 2002, to May 5, 2008; 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles manufactured April 10, 2003, to February 18, 2008; and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles manufactured August 4, 2005, to June 29, 2007.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver front air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 8215F.

Mazda North American Operations is recalling 444,907 model year 2003-2008 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured May 29, 2002, to May 5, 2008; 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicl...
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Takata CEO delivers personal apology for airbag fiasco

But company still hasn't isolated the problem responsible for 8 deaths

As recalls of cars equipped with Takata airbags mount, Takata Corp. President Shigehisa Takada has delivered a personal apology for the deaths and injuries that have resulted from his products' defects.

Takada has previously apologized in written statements, but following the company's annual shareholders meeting in Tokyo, the executive appeared at a press briefing to say his company is reviewing several different ways to help victims, including a fund to compensate them.

“I apologize for not having been able to communicate directly earlier, and also apologize for people who died or were injured,” Takada said. “I feel sorry our products hurt customers, despite the fact that we are a supplier of safety products.”

Supposed to save lives

Airbags, of course, are designed to save lives. In high-impact crashes they deploy with sudden force, providing a cushion of air to protect occupants. In over 30 years of use they have been shown to be extremely effective and are now standard safety equipment on all vehicles.

The problem with the Takata airbag is that more than air comes shooting out of them when they deploy. Bits of loose metal can also be fired from the inflator, with incredible force, into the bodies of the occupants. These bits of shrapnel have been blamed for 8 deaths and hundreds of injuries.

The family of the eighth victim of a lethal airbag, 26-year old Jewel Brangman, has sued a rental car company, claiming it ignored recall notices for the car in which the victim died. The car had been recalled back in 2009 but its owner, Sunset Car Rental of San Diego, had never bothered to take the car in to have the recall carried out, the suit alleges.

More Toyotas recalled

Meanwhile, more cars with Takata airbags are receiving recall notices. Toyota has announced it is expanding its recall, adding approximately 1,365,000 additional 2003-2007 Corolla and Corolla Matrix; 2005-2006 Tundra; 2005-2007 Sequoia; 2003-2007 Lexus SC430 vehicles to the list.

That makes nearly 3 million Toyota and Lexus vehicles with Takata airbags recalled so far.

While Toyota is a major Takata customer, so is Honda, whose total number of recalls thus far has outpaced Toyota's. In fact, the Takata airbag is so widespread that as many as 30 million cars on U.S. highways, from a wide range of automakers, have received recall notices.

Meanwhile, we don't really know why the inflators on Takata airbags are prone to firing bits of metal when they deploy. Takada told his company's shareholders an internal investigation so far has not come up with a definitive answer.

As recalls of cars equipped with Takata airbags mount, Takata Corp. President Shigehisa Takada has delivered a personal apology for the deaths and injuries...
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Mitsubishi recalls vehicles with sun visor- air bag issue

The passenger side sun visor may detach when the air bag deploys

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling 459,618 model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004; 2001-2005 Eclipse Spyder vehicles manufactured January 19, 2000, to March 18, 2005; 2001-2005 Chrysler Sebring vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 21, 2005; and 2001-2005 Dodge Stratus vehicles manufactured April 17, 2000, to February 22, 2005.

The passenger side sun visor may be folded down in such a position that, if the passenger frontal air bag deploys, the passenger side sun visor may detach. If the passenger side sun visor detaches and is propelled rearward, there is an increased risk of occupant injury.

MMNA will notify their owners, and Chrysler will notify the Chrysler and Dodge owners. Dealers will install a tether strap to retain the passenger sun visor, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact MMNA customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Chrysler and Dodge owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. MMNA's number for this recall is SR-15-005.

Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) is recalling 459,618 model year 2000-2005 Eclipse vehicles manufactured April 5, 1999, to December 17, 2004; 2001-20...
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Dodge Challengers with airbag issue recalled

The driver's side air bag inflated curtain may have a loose or missing rear mounting bolt

Chrysler (FCA US) is recalling 73 model year 2015 Dodge Challengers manufactured March 28, 2015, to April 1, 2015.

The driver's side air bag inflated curtain (SABIC) may have a loose or missing rear mounting bolt. A loose or missing SABIC rear mounting bolt may alter the air bag inflated curtain's deployment, increasing the risk of occupant injury in the event of a side impact or roll-over crash.

Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and repair the vehicles, as needed, free of charge. The recall began on May 28, 2015.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R22.

Chrysler (FCA US) is recalling 73 model year 2015 Dodge Challengers manufactured March 28, 2015, to April 1, 2015. The driver's side air bag inflated cur...
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Mazda B-series light trucks recalled

The air bag inflator could rupture upon deployment

Mazda North American Operations is recalling 27,149 model year 2004-2006 Mazda B-series light trucks manufactured from April 17, 2003, through May 2, 2006.

The recalled vehicles are equipped with a passenger side front air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon deployment.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the the passenger side frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin by the end of July 2015.

Owners may contact Mazda at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 8315F.  

Mazda North American Operations is recalling 27,149 model year 2004-2006 Mazda B-series light trucks manufactured from April 17, 2003, through May 2, 2006....
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Mazda recalls vehicles with driver-side air bag issue

The air bag inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants

Mazda North American Operations is recalling 444,907 model year 2003-2008 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured May 29, 2002, to May 5, 2008; 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicles manufactured April 10, 2003, to February 18, 2008; and 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 vehicles manufactured August 4, 2005, to June 29, 2007.

The vehicles are equipped with a dual-stage driver frontal air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion and other factors, including manufacturing variability that, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Mazda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Vehicles that have had their driver's frontal air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well.

Owners may contact Mazda customer service at 1-800-222-5500. Mazda's number for this recall is 7914J.  

Mazda North American Operations is recalling 444,907 model year 2003-2008 Mazda6 vehicles manufactured May 29, 2002, to May 5, 2008; 2004-2008 RX-8 vehicl...
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GM recalls Chevy Colorados and GMC Canyons

The front driver air bag inflator could malfunction during a deployment

General Motors is recalling 40 model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorados manufactured September 15, 2014, to January 21, 2015, and 2015 GMC Canyons manufactured October 3, 2014, to December 9, 2014.

The recalled vehicles have a front driver air bag inflator that may be misaligned to the air bag module backplate, which can cause the inflator to separate from the backplate during a deployment.

If that happens the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the driver or other occupants. Even if the inflator does not rupture, the air bag may fail to inflate properly or detach from the steering wheel, increasing the risk of injury to the driver.

GM has notified owners, and dealers will inspect the driver air bag module inflator for proper alignment, replacing the air bag, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 19, 2015.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020, or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15037.

General Motors is recalling 40 model year 2015 Chevrolet Colorados manufactured September 15, 2014, to January 21, 2015, and 2015 GMC Canyons manufactured ...
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Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks recalled

The passenger side front air bag inflator has a defect

Chrysler (FCA US) is recalling 438,156 model year 2003 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks manufactured January 1, 2002, to July 25, 2003.

A safety defect in the passenger side frontal air bag inflator may produce excessive internal pressure causing the inflator to rupture upon deployment of the air bag. This recall addresses both the passenger side frontal air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts.

A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the passenger side frontal air bag.

In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger’s frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger front air bag. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R26.  

Chrysler (FCA US) is recalling 438,156 model year 2003 Dodge Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500 trucks manufactured January 1, 2002, to July 25, 2003. A safety defe...
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BMW recalls numerous vehicles with air bag issues

The dual-stage driver front air bag inflator could rupture

BMW of North America is recalling 420,661 model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci, and M3 Convertibles and 325i, 330i, and M3 Coupes, 2002-2003 M5, 540i, 525i Sedan, and 530i Sedans, and 540i and 525i Sportswagons, and 2003-2004 X5 3.0i and 4.4i Sports Activity Vehicles.

The 5-series and X5 vehicles are only included if they are equipped with the optional sports steering wheel.

The dual-stage driver front air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Vehicles that have had their driver side front air bag replaced previously as part of a recall remedy need to have their air bag replaced under this recall as well.

BMW will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front driver air bag module, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.  

BMW of North America is recalling 420,661 model year 2002-2005 325i, 325xi, 330i, and 330xi Sedans, and 325xi and 325i Sportswagons, 2002-2006 330Ci, 325Ci...
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Mitsubishi recalls Lancer, Lancer Evolution and Lancer Sportback vehicles

les The passenger side front air bag inflator could rupture upon deployment

Mitsubishi Motors North America is recalling 82,784 model year 2004-2006 Lancer vehicles manufactured August 4, 2003, to August 28, 2006; Lancer Evolution vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to September 1, 2006; and 2004 Lancer Sportback vehicles, manufactured August 4, 2003, to January 23, 2004.

The passenger side front air bag may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Mitsubishi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin June 17, 2015. Owners may contact Mitsubishi customer service at 1-888-648-7820. Mitsubishi's number for this recall is SR-14-012. It supersedes a recall issued in December 2014.

Mitsubishi Motors North America is recalling 82,784 model year 2004-2006 Lancer vehicles manufactured August 4, 2003, to August 28, 2006; Lancer Evolution ...
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Ford recalls Ranger trucks

The passenger side front air bag inflator could rupture upon deployment

Ford Motor Company is recalling 361,523 model year 2004-2006 Ranger trucks manufactured March 24, 2003, to May 4, 2006.

The passenger side front air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Ford will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 13, 2015.

Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 15S22.  

Ford Motor Company is recalling 361,523 model year 2004-2006 Ranger trucks manufactured March 24, 2003, to May 4, 2006. The passenger side front air bag ...
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Impreza and Saab 9-2x vehicles recalled

The passenger side front air bag inflator could rupture upon deployment

Subaru of America is recalling 81,100 model year 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005.

The passenger side front air bag may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Subaru will notify their owners and General Motors will notify Saab owners. Dealers will replace the passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 27, 2015.

Owners may contact Subaru customer service at 1-800-782-2783. Owners of Saab vehicles may call 1-800-955-9007. Subaru's number for this recall is WQR-53.

Subaru of America is recalling 81,100 model year 2004-2005 Impreza vehicles manufactured January 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005, and 2005 Saab 9-2x vehicles man...
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GM recalls Chevy Silverados and GMC Sierras

The passenger side front air bag flator could rupture upon deployment

General Motors is recalling 330,198 model year 2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD trucks manufactured November 28, 2006, to August 29, 2008, and 2007-2008 GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD trucks manufactured November 27, 2006, to August 29, 2008.

The passenger side front air bag that may be susceptible to moisture intrusion which, over time, could cause the inflator to rupture upon its deployment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

GM will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided a notification schedule.

Owners may contact Chevrolet customer service at 1-800-222-1020 or GMC customer service at 1-800-462-8782. GM's number for this recall is 15438.

General Motors is recalling 330,198 model year 2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD trucks manufactured November 28, 2006, to August 29, 2008, a...
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Takata ordered to preserve defective air bag inflators

Feds want access to all testing data

As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) continues its air bag investigation, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx  has ordered Takata to preserve all air bag inflators removed through the recall process as evidence

“This department is focused on protecting the American public from these defective air bags and at getting to the bottom of how they came to be included in millions of vehicles on U.S. roads,” said Foxx . “This preservation order will help us get the answers we need to accomplish those goals.”

Investigation upgrade

Foxx also said NHTSA will upgrade the Takata investigation to an engineering analysis, a formal step in the agency’s defect investigation process.

Upgrading the investigation is an important step in determining the actual cause of the air bag failures and the appropriateness of remedies, as well as determining whether Takata’s refusal to notify the agency of a safety defect violates federal safety laws or regulations.

Since 2008, automakers have recalled about 17 million vehicles with Takata air bags that can rupture when they deploy, producing fragments that can kill or seriously injure occupants. In 2014, five automakers -- BMW, Chrysler, Ford, Honda and Mazda -- launched national recalls at NHTSA’s urging for defective driver-side air bags.

Those five, plus General Motors, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota, are recalling vehicles for defective passenger-side air bags in areas of consistently high absolute humidity, which is believed to be a factor in the ruptures.

Order requirements

Among the key provisions of the order:

  • Takata is prohibited from destroying or damaging any inflators except as is necessary to conduct testing.
  • Takata is required to set aside 10% of recalled inflators and make them available to private plaintiffs for testing.
  • Takata is required to submit for NHTSA’s approval plans for gathering, storing and preserving inflators already removed through the recall process and inflators removed in the future, as well as written procedures for making inflators available to plaintiffs in private litigation cases and automakers who request access.
  • Plaintiffs or automakers who seek access to inflators must submit to the terms of the preservation order, which grants NHTSA access to all testing data.
  • NHTSA retains the ability to collect inflators for its own testing if it determines such testing is necessary.

On Feb. 20, NHTSA began levying $14,000 a day in civil penalties against Takata for failure to respond to requests for information about more than 2.5 million pages of documents it has produced under NHTSA orders.

As the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) continues its air bag investigation, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHT...
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Airbag-maker Takata hit with stiff fine

The company is accused of failing to cooperate with the feds

Airbag manufacturer Takata will pay a heavy price for allegedly failing to cooperate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) continuing investigation into the company’s defective airbags.

Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx says the company is being fined $14,000 per day. Late last year, NHTSA issued two special orders to Takata requiring the company to provide documentation and other material relating to the agency’s probe. Takata has, NHTSA maintains, has not cooperated fully with the investigation.

The company said it "surprised and disappointed" by NHTSA's action. "We strongly disagree with their characterization that we have not been fully cooperating with them," the company said in a prepared statement.

Takata said it has provided NHTSA with almost 2.5 million pages of documents and has been "meeting regularly with NHTSA engineers on efforts to identify the root cause of the inflator issue."

"We continue to keep NHTSA closely informed on the extensive testing efforts we have undertaken.  That work has, so far, supported our initial view that age and sustained exposure to heat and humidity is a common factor in the small number of inflators that have malfunctioned," Takata said.

Foxx said that "Takata’s failure to fully cooperate with our investigation is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”

“For each day that Takata fails to fully cooperate with our demands, we will hit them with another fine. But, it’s not enough. I am asking Congress to pass the Grow America Act which would provide the tools and resources needed to change the culture of safety for bad actors like Takata.”

Airbag manufacturer Takata will pay a heavy price for allegedly failing to cooperate with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) cont...
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Follow up-recall of 2.12 million cars and SUVs ordered

Feds say previously recalled vehicle remedies are not working as designed

More than 2.12 million Acura, Dodge, Jeep, Honda, Pontiac, and Toyota vehicles are being recalled for a defect that may cause airbags to deploy inadvertently.

The recalls will provide vehicle owners with a new remedy after the manufacturers’ original attempts to fix the defects proved ineffective in some vehicles.

“Keeping the traveling public safe is our number one priority, and we expect the manufacturers to get this remedy right to prevent injury to drivers and their families,” said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

The new recalls cover 2.12 million Acura MDX, Dodge Viper, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Liberty, Honda Odyssey, Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix and Toyota Avalon models made in the early 2000s. The vehicles were subject to earlier recalls to address a problem with an electronic component manufactured by TRW that caused some airbags to deploy inadvertently -- that is, in the absence of a crash.

Previous fixes questioned

The National Highway Traffic safety Administration (NHTSA) discovered through the monitoring of incoming data from consumers and automakers that some vehicles remedied under the previous recalls may have experienced inadvertent deployments. The agency, which urged the automakers to issue new recalls to implement a more effective remedy, has identified about 40 vehicles in which airbags deployed unexpectedly after receiving the original remedy.

Action by consumers is especially important because about 1 million Toyota and Honda vehicles involved in these new recalls are also subject to a recall related to defective Takata airbags that may deploy with enough explosive force to cause injury or even death to vehicle occupants.

Because of the dangers involved in an inadvertent deployment, and because some of the vehicles involved may also have defective Takata airbags, NHTSA urges consumers who were covered by the original recalls to take their vehicles to their local dealer for the original remedy. That remedy significantly reduces the chance of an airbag deployment that presents a safety risk.

“This is unfortunately a complicated issue for consumers, who may have to return to their dealer more than once,” said NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind. “But this is an urgent safety issue, and all consumers with vehicles covered by the previous recalls should have that remedy installed. Even though it’s a temporary solution until the new remedy is available, they and their families will be safer if they take the time to learn if their vehicle is covered and follow their manufacturers’ instructions. A hassle is much better than a family tragedy.”

More actions

NHTSA will take a series of additional steps to ensure safety, including:

  • Seeking additional information from TRW, which made the electronic part believed to be involved in the inadvertent deployments, about the potential defect, its causes, and whether other makes or models might be affected.
  • Seeking information from the automakers about how quickly they can make the new, more effective remedy available.
More than 2.12 million Acura, Dodge, Jeep, Honda, Pontiac, and Toyota vehicles are being recalled for a defect that may cause airbags to deploy inadvertent...
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Feds issue national recall of defective Takata driver-side air bags

NHTSA demands new, additional details on air bags from Takata and automakers

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is calling for a national recall of vehicles with certain driver’s-side frontal air bags made by Takata.

The agency says it's basing the decision on its evaluation of a recent driver’s-side air bag failure in a vehicle outside the current regional recall area and its relationship to 5 previous driver’s side air bag ruptures -- all of which are covered by existing regional recalls.

“By demanding this national recall, NHTSA has demonstrated once again that it will follow data and evidence to protect the lives of Americans on the road and to hold manufacturers accountable,” said Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.

NHTSA contacted Takata and the vehicle manufacturers this week to call for the national recall of these vehicles after evaluating a recent incident that involved a failure in a driver’s side air bag inflator outside an area of high absolute humidity. Based on this new information, unless Takata and the manufacturers quickly agree to this recall, NHTSA will use the full extent of its statutory powers to ensure vehicles that use the same or similar air bag inflator are recalled.

More information demanded

The agency also issued a General Order to Takata and all ten of the vehicle manufacturers that use Takata air bag inflators -- BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota -- requiring each manufacturer to file, under oath, a detailed report and produce all related documents about completed, ongoing or planned testing of Takata inflators outside the current regional recall areas.

The agency is demanding this information to compel Takata and the affected industry to be frank with not only NHTSA, but the American public, as to what testing and additional steps they have done and plan to do to control and mitigate the risk associated with Takata’s defective inflators.

Additionally, NHTSA issued a Special Order to Takata -- the second it has issued to the manufacturer regarding this defect -- compelling it to provide, under oath, documents and detailed information on the propellant used in Takata’s inflators. In recent days, Takata has publicly conceded that it changed the chemical mix of its air bag inflator propellant in newly designed inflators. As part of the investigation, the agency will analyze the information received to determine if the chemical composition of Takata’s propellant mix may be a cause and/or contributing factor in the air bag inflator ruptures.

“We now know that millions of vehicles must be recalled to address defective Takata air bags and our aggressive investigation is far from over,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman. “We’re pushing Takata and all affected manufacturers to issue the recall and to ensure the recalls capture the full scope of the problems.”

More testing needed

While NHTSA is not aware of either field incidents or test data suggesting that the problem affecting passenger-side air bags in the areas of persistently high humidity extends beyond those areas, the agency has been pushing the industry to perform testing to ensure that current recalls effectively cover vehicles with air bags that could be potentially affected by this defect.

The information the agency receives from Takata and the auto manufacturers will provide further information and details needed to continue its investigation into this complex issue. Responses to the General Order and Special Order are due to NHTSA by December 5.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is calling for a national recall of vehicles with certain driver’s-side frontal air bags made by...
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Owners of vehicles with defective airbags: Act now

Feds say more than 6 million vehicles are affected

Owners of certain Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors vehicles are being urged to act immediately on recall notices to replace defective Takata airbags.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says over 6 million vehicles are involved in these recalls, which have occurred as far back as 18 months ago and as recently as Monday.

The message comes with urgency, especially for owners of vehicles affected by regional recalls in the following areas: Florida, Puerto Rico, limited areas near the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Louisiana, as well as Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, Virgin Islands and Hawaii.

"Responding to these recalls, whether old or new, is essential to personal safety and it will help aid our ongoing investigation into Takata airbags and what appears to be a problem related to extended exposure to consistently high humidity and temperatures,” said NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman. “However, we’re leaving no stone unturned in our aggressive pursuit to track down the full geographic scope of this issue."

What to do

Consumers uncertain whether their vehicle is impacted by the Takata recalls -- or any other recall -- can contact their manufacturer’s website to search, by their vehicle identification number (VIN) to confirm whether their individual vehicle has an open recall that needs to be addressed.

Owners who have been contacted by their manufacturer should contact their dealer’s service department and make arrangements for the repair. In addition, consumers can sign up for NHTSA recall alerts, which go out before recall letters are mailed by the manufacturers to the affected owners.

Affected vehicles

BMW: 627,615 total number of potentially affected vehicles

  • 2000 – 2005 3 Series Sedan
  • 2000 – 2006 3 Series Coupe
  • 2000 – 2005 3 Series Sports Wagon
  • 2000 – 2006 3 Series Convertible
  • 2001 – 2006 M3 Coupe
  • 2001 – 2006 M3 Convertible

Chrysler: 371,309 total number of potentially affected vehicles

  • 2003 – 2008 Dodge Ram 1500
  • 2008 Dodge Ram 2500
  • 2008 Dodge Ram 3500
  • 2006 – 2008 Dodge Ram 4500
  • 2008 – Dodge Ram 5500
  • 2005 – 2008 Dodge Durango
  • 2005 – 2008 Dodge Dakota
  • 2005 – 2008 Chrysler 300
  • 2007 – 2008 Chrysler Aspen

Ford: 58,669 total number of potentially affected vehicles

  • 2004 – Ranger
  • 2005 – 2006 GT
  • 2005 – 2007 Mustang

General Motors: undetermined total number of potentially affected vehicles

  • 2003 – 2005 Pontiac Vibe
  • 2005 – Saab 9-2X

Honda: 5,051,364 total number of potentially affected vehicles

  • 2001 – 2007 Honda Accord)
  • 2001 – 2002 Honda Accord
  • 2001 – 2005 Honda Civic
  • 2002 – 2006 Honda CR-V
  • 2003 – 2011 Honda Element
  • 2002 – 2004 Honda Odyssey
  • 2003 – 2007 Honda Pilot
  • 2006 – Honda Ridgeline
  • 2003 – 2006 Acura MDX
  • 2002 – 2003 Acura TL/CL
  • 2005 – Acura RL

Mazda: 64,872 total number of potentially affected vehicles

  • 2003 – 2007 Mazda6
  • 2006 – 2007 MazdaSpeed6
  • 2004 – 2008 Mazda RX-8
  • 2004 – 2005 MPV
  • 2004 – B-Series Truck

Mitsubishi: 11,985 total number of potentially affected vehicles

  • 2004 – 2005 Lancer
  • 2006 – 2007 Raider

Nissan: 694,626 total number of potentially affected vehicles

  • 2001 – 2003 Nissan Maxima
  • 2001 – 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
  • 2002 – 2004 Nissan Sentra
  • 2001 – 2004 Infiniti I30/I35
  • 2002 – 2003 Infiniti QX4
  • 2003 – 2005 Infiniti FX35/FX45

Subaru: 17,516 total number of potentially affected vehicles

  • 2003 – 2005 Baja
  • 2003 – 2005 Legacy
  • 2003 – 2005 Outback
  • 2003 – 2005 Baja
  • 2004 – 2005 Impreza

Toyota: 877,000 total number of potentially affected vehicles

  • 2002 – 2005 Lexus SC
  • 2002 – 2005 Toyota Corolla
  • 2003 – 2005 Toyota Corolla Matrix
  • 2002 – 2005 Toyota Sequoia
  • 2003 – 2005 Toyota Tundra
Owners of certain Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors vehicles are being urged to act immediately on r...
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Backcountry Access recalls Avalanche airbags

The trigger assembly can fail resulting in the airbag not deploying

Backcountry Access of Boulder, Colo., is recalling about 8,200 Avalanche airbags in the U.S. and Canada.

The trigger assembly can fail resulting in the airbag not deploying, posing a risk of death and injury in the event of an avalanche.

No incidents or injuries have been reported.

This recall involves BCA Avalanche airbags, models Float 18, 22, 30, 32, 36 and Throttle. The airbags are used for skiing, snowmobiling and mountain climbing to help keep the user above the surface if an avalanche occurs. The airbags are yellow and are housed in a blue, red or black pack. The packs have the model name printed on them. “Float” and the “bca” logo are printed in black lettering on the airbag. Lot letters A through E are included in the recall. The lot letter can be found on the trigger handle.

The airbags, manufactured in China, were sold at specialty outdoor stores worldwide and online at www.backcountryaccess.com from August 2011 through October 2013 for between $499 and $750.

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled airbags and contact BCA for a free replacement trigger assembly.

Consumers may contact Backcountry Access (BCA) at (800) 670-8735 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. MT Monday through Friday or by e-mail at warranty@backcountryaccess.com.

Backcountry Access of Boulder, Colo., is recalling about 8,200 Avalanche airbags in the U.S. and Canada. The trigger assembly can fail resulting in the air...
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CODA vehicles recalled

The airbags may not deploy as intended

CODA Automotive is recalling 117 model year 2012 CODA vehicles.

The side curtain airbags may have been improperly rolled during production which could cause the airbag to not deploy as intended, increasing the risk of injury.

This recall supersedes a previous recall conducted by CODA, 12V-409. All owners, including owners involved in the previous campaign, will be notified and instructed to go to CODA dealers to have both side curtain airbags replaced free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on, or about, June 11, 2013.

Owners should contact their dealer for more information. CODA Automotive's recall campaign number is R84002.

CODA Automotive is recalling 117 model year 2012 CODA vehicles. The side curtain airbags may have been improperly rolled during production which could ca...
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Snowpulse Recalls Avalanche Airbags

There's a possibility the airbag might not deploy, posing a risk if injury and death

Mammut Sports Group of Shelburne, VT, is recalling about 3,800 Snowpulse Avalanche Airbags -- 1,200 in the U.S and 26,00 in Canada. 

A leak in the airbag's cartridge can result in the airbag not deploying, posing a risk of death and injury in the event of an avalanche. There are no reports of incidents or injuries 

This recall involves Snowpulse Avalanche airbags with inflation-system 1.0 air cartridges. The airbags are used for skiing, snowmobiling and mountain climbing to help keep the user above the surface if an avalanche occurs. Model year 2008 to 2010 airbag cartridges are included in this recall. 

The packs are between 15 and 45 liters and have the "Snowpulse" logo printed on them. The metal cartridge is inside the pack and unscrews from the airbag. Cartridges using inflation system 1.0 gauges can be identified by the pin inside the threaded fitting on the side of the cartridge. If this gauge does not have an "A" or a "B" on the dial then it is included in the recall. 

The airbags, manufactured in Switzerland, were sold by Specialty outdoor and motorsports stores nationwide from September 2008 through April 2012 for between $900 and $1,200. 

Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled airbags and contact Snowpulse for a replacement cartridge. 

For additional information, contact Snowpulse at (800) 451-5127 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. ET Monday through Friday, or visit the firm's Website.

Mammut Sports Group of Shelburne, VT, is recalling about 3,800 Snowpulse Avalanche Airbags -- 1,200 in the U.S and 26,00 in Canada. A leak in the airbag's...
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Three Big Pickups Look Wimpy in Side Tests

Silverado, Ram, Titan do poor job of protecting passengers

While the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Dodge Ram 1500, and Nissan Titan are billed as workhorses, tests by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety show that the side crash protection these 2009 model large pickups provide is wimpy, at best.

The trio earns either poor or marginal ratings in the IIHS side tests and, even with side airbags, occupant protection in these crew-cab pickups is no better than marginal.

"The size, weight, and height of these large pickups should help them ace the side tests just like the other large pickups we've tested. Not these three," said Institute senior vice president David Zuby. "They perform worse than many cars we've evaluated."

The Dodge Ram with standard side airbags earns a marginal rating. The Nissan Titan and Chevrolet Silverado earn poor ratings when tested without their optional side airbags.

The Titan's side rating improves to marginal in models tested with side airbags, while the Silverado's optional side airbags don't improve the rating over models without them. The Silverado's ratings also apply to its twin, the GMC Sierra 1500, both of which were redesigned in 2007, so the ratings apply to 2007-09 models.

The Ram is a new design for the 2009 model year. The Titan was introduced in the 2004 model year, so results apply to 2004-09 models.

The Institute's side tests assess occupant protection in vehicles struck in the side by SUVs or pickups. Results can be compared across vehicle type and weight categories, while frontal crash test ratings can't.

This is because the kinetic energy involved in the side test depends on the weight and speed of the moving barrier, which are the same in every test. In contrast, the kinetic energy involved in the frontal crash test against an immovable barrier depends on the test vehicle's speed and weight.

The Ram, Titan, and Silverado should have an advantage in side crash tests over smaller vehicles, not just because of their size and weight but also because the dummies' higher seating positions put their heads and shoulders above the striking barrier.

Occupants of cars, for instance, are more vulnerable because their bodies are in line with the fronts of vehicles, especially tall ones, which might hit them in the side.

"These large pickups don't have to work as hard as smaller vehicles do to protect their occupants. Even with their characteristic advantages, the Ram, Titan, and Silverado still miss the mark when it comes to occupant protection in side crashes," Zuby said.

Without side torso airbags, occupants are vulnerable. What's behind the lackluster performance?

In the Silverado's case, it's a combination of a poor side structure plus the lack of side torso airbags. The truck's optional side curtain airbags are designed to protect occupants' heads, and these worked well. But occupants' upper bodies remain unprotected even with the optional side curtains.

"In the Silverado tests, there was a lot of intrusion into the occupant compartment. With no torso airbags to protect the driver and rear passenger, measures recorded on the test dummies showed that rib fractures and internal organ injuries would be likely in a real-world crash of similar severity," Zuby said. "Chevy needs to improve the Silverado's side structure, as well as add padding or torso airbags to better protect its occupants."

In contrast, the Ram and Titan's side structures are designed to better limit intrusion. The Ram's side structure/safety cage earns a good rating, while the Titan's earns acceptable marks. The Ram has standard head-protecting side curtain airbags but not torso airbags.

Both curtain and side torso bags are optional in the Titan. Adding torso airbags might improve the Ram's side protection. The Titan could be improved with some combination of structural, airbag, or door trim modifications.

"It's certainly possible to design a large pickup that offers good occupant protection in side crashes," Zuby says. Three previously evaluated 2009 models are Institute Top Safety Pick award winners. The Honda Ridgeline, Ford F-150, and Toyota Tundra all have standard side airbags with torso and head protection and good-rated structures.

The Ram would be a Top Safety Pick contender if its side rating improves to good, Zuby notes. Dodge improved the seat/head restraints in the 2009 model to earn a good rating for protection in rear crashes, while the 2006-08 models earned a poor rating.

Electronic stability control, another criterion to earn the award, also is standard.

Three Big Pickups Look Wimpy in Side Tests...
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Midsize Side Impact Tests Show Safety Improvements

Seven models get highest rating for occupant protection

Midsize cars are providing more protection for occupants in side impact crashes as automakers introduce safer designs and add side airbags as standard equipment, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

IIHS recently completed front, side, and rear tests of seven 2008 model midsize cars. They are the Chevrolet Malibu, Dodge Avenger, Infiniti G35, Kia Optima, Mitsubishi Galant, Nissan Altima, and Saturn Aura.

All the cars tested earned the highest rating of good for occupant protection in frontal crashes.

All but the Kia Optima earned the top rating of good for side crash protection. The good rating for the Malibu applies to cars built after February 2008.

"The side impact results represent a huge change from just four years ago," said Institute senior vice president David Zuby. "In 2004 we tested 10 mid-size moderately priced cars, and all 10 were rated poor in their standard configurations without side airbags."

"Side airbags were mostly optional in our first round of side impact tests of midsize cars," Zuby said. "A major change is that side airbags are standard in every one of the seven midsize cars we tested this time around. Auto manufacturers have been moving quickly to make side airbags standard, even on lower priced models."

When the Institute tested the Avenger's predecessor, the Dodge Stratus, without optional side airbags the car earned a poor rating for protecting people in side crashes.

The safety cage didn't hold up well, resulting in intrusion into the occupant compartment. The driver dummy's head was struck by the intruding barrier, and injury measures recorded on the dummy indicate that broken ribs and a fractured pelvis would be likely to occur in a real-world crash of similar severity.

Chrysler redesigned this car as an early 2008 model, renaming it the Avenger, which also is sold as the Chrysler Sebring. Front and rear head curtain air-bags and front seat-mounted torso airbags now are standard equipment.

The Avenger's performance in the side test is "dramatically improved compared with the Stratus," Zuby said.

The new model kept intrusion into the occupant compartment to a minimum. The side curtain airbag protected the driver dummy's head from being struck by the barrier.

The 2004 Optima was rated poor for occupant protection in side impacts, even with the standard combination side airbags designed to protect front-seat occupants' heads and chests.

Measures recorded on the driver dummy indicate that rib fractures and internal organ injuries would be likely to occur in a real-world crash of similar severity. The rear passenger dummy's head was struck by the windowsill and the pillar behind the rear door.

Rear crash protection results varied more widely and the ratings for the midsize cars were not as impressive. The seat and head restraints in the Optima were the only ones IIHS tested that earned the top rating of good for occupant protection in rear crashes.

When a vehicle is struck in the rear and driven forward, its seats accelerate occupants' torsos forward. Unsupported, an occupant's head will lag behind the forward torso movement, and the differential motion causes the neck to bend and stretch. IIHS warned. The higher the torso acceleration, the more sudden the motion, the higher the forces on the neck, and the more likely a neck injury is to occur.

The key to reducing whiplash injury risk, according to the IIHS, is to keep the head and torso moving together.

"In stop and go commuter traffic, you're more likely to get in a rear-end collision than any other kind of crash," Zuby said. "It's not a major feat of engineering to design seats and head restraints that afford good protection in these common crashes."

Midsize Side Impact Tests Show Safety Improvements...
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New Study: Side and Roof Airbags Save Lives

IIHS study is more ammunition for safety advocates

Side and roof airbags can save your life as they drop and inflate providing head protection in serious side crashes -- and they provide even more protection when cars are struck by larger SUVs and pickups, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

"We found lower fatality risks across the board among older and younger drivers, male and female drivers, and drivers of both small cars and larger passenger vehicles," said Anne McCartt, Institute vice president for research and an author of the study.

The IIHS report is more evidence for advocates demanding that the auto industry and the government accelerate efforts to incorporate head protection in more vehicles. Safety advocates have urged regulators and the industry to make the technology standard as soon as possible.

The overall research findings echo those of a 2003 Institute study of side airbag effectiveness in cars. The auto industry agreed then to equip all vehicles with side airbags with head protection as a standard feature by 2009.

"Once every passenger vehicle on the road has side airbags that include head protection for the front-seat occupants we can save as many as 2,000 lives per year," said McCartt.

In 2004, 2.7 million passenger vehicles were involved in side-impact crashes, according to police reports cited by the researchers and more than 9,000 people were killed.

IIHS researchers concluded side airbags that protect the torso reduced deaths by 26 percent in side-impact crashes. The same study also found that deaths declined by an estimated 37 percent when the vehicle was also equipped with side airbags that protect the head.

"Head protecting side airbags reduce driver fatality risk when cars are struck by SUVs and pickups, not just other cars," McCartt said.

Side airbag technology is relatively new and is included in about 80 percent of new cars and SUVs as standard or optional equipment.

The airbags vary by design. Some descend from the vehicle roof to protect the heads of occupants in both front and back seats. Combination side airbags inflate from the vehicle seat or sometimes the door. These protect occupants' torsos and heads too.

Pickup trucks aren't matching the pattern of rapidly being equipped with side airbags. Head-protecting bags are standard in only one 2006 model pickup. Fewer than half of all pickups have side airbags at all, standard or optional.

New Study: Side and Roof Airbags Save Lives...
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A Short History of the Airbag

Hetrick designed the system to reduce injuries during emergency braking and frontal collisions, according to a story in American Heritage about his inventi...

Airbags in New Cars Seldom Fail, Experts Insist

The Bags Aren't Designed to Deploy in Every Accident

All Chad H. of Charlottesville, Virginia, wanted was a safe vehicle for his family. And that's what he thought he found when he purchased a new 2005 Ford Expedition.

"I thought this was a safe vehicle because of all the claims Ford makes about its safety record," he says.

But the secure feeling that Expedition gave him shattered in a matter of seconds on May 29, 2005.

Chad was involved in a head-on collision and the Expedition's frontal airbag failed to deploy.

"I was going 35-45 mph on a rural, two-lane road," he recalls. "The other driver, who was in a Ford Explorer, was going about the same speed, and came into my lane and hit me head-on. His airbag deployed. Mine did not.

"I'm convinced I would have fewer injuries if my airbag had deployed," says the chiropractor, who suffered whiplash in the accident and still has ringing in his ears. "When I bought the car, the salesman kept talking about how Ford was using Volvo technology. I thought it was a safe car, but that didn't show (in this accident). I have a seven-year-old daughter. What if she'd been in the car with me?"

Similar Concerns

A special ConsumerAffairs.com investigation uncovered more than 160 consumers nationwide who share Chad's concerns about airbags failing to deploy in serious accidents.

Some of those consumers own new vehicles, like Chad. Others have older models, but they're the original owners.

Many, who suffered the most debilitating injuries or lost a loved one, drove used cars. One consumer drove a rental car.

Our investigation found these accident happened in cars, trucks, minivans, and SUV's made by Ford, General Motors, DaimlerChrysler,Mitsubishi, Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan, and Honda (follow links to carmakers' responses).

We also learned that authorities who responded to many of the consumers' crash scenes -- including paramedics, firefighters, state troopers and tow truck drivers -- expressed concerns about their airbags' failures to deploy.

New And Original-Owner Vehicles

This story focuses on the problems and injuries suffered by consumers with new and originally-owned older vehicles because their airbags failed to deploy.

They're consumers who are angry, scared, and confused because their airbags -- a safety feature the federal government has required in all passenger vehicles since 1998 -- didn't protect them when they needed them the most.

"I'm convinced there's something wrong with this vehicle and someone is going to die," says Susan B. of Norwalk, California. She's the original owner of a 2001 Chevrolet Suburban, and her side-impact airbags didn't deploy when she was broadsided by another vehicle.

"I had just started through a green light when another person ran a red light going approximately 40 mph and hit me," says Susan, who suffered neck, shoulder, back, hip, and knee injuries in the accident. "I paid extra for side airbags so I could be safe, and I was under the impression they were there to protect me. But I don't feel safe anymore."

Neither do many of the other consumers we interviewed.

They say no one has told them why their airbags didn't deploy -- and they're worried about what will happen if they're in another accident.

Most of their accidents weren't minor fender-benders, either. They were serious ones -- the type most drivers would expect an airbag to deploy: broadside collisions and head-on crashes.

"A Perfect Scenario For Airbags To Deploy"

Scott A. of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, for example, suffered a broken knee, cuts and bruises, in a head-on collision. But his airbags didn't deploy.

"I was driving a six-month old 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee when I avoided a deer and hit a tree straight-on going 35-40 mph," he says, adding the accident totaled his SUV. "It was absolutely a head-on collision. You could not have asked for a more perfect scenario for the airbags to deploy."

Airbags Fail in Broadside Collision

Mark T. of Mount Morris, Michigan, sustained injuries to his neck, back, arm, and shoulder when he broadsided another vehicle in his new 2004 Chevrolet van.

"I was coming down the road when an older woman pulled out right in front of me," he says. "I didn't have time to brake and I broadsided her going 45 mph. I hit her directly in the driver's door.

"My airbags didn't go off and they should have," adds Mark, who used to work at the General Motors Assembly plant in Flint, Michigan. "I'm a mechanic and everything that happened in this accident was well within the operational parameters for an airbag to deploy. Those airbags are designed to initiate at 15 mph; I was going 45. I think there should be a recall of this vehicle because of the airbags."

Head-On Collision With Guardrail

Charles M., of Galveston, Texas, suffered head injuries and three broken vertebrae during an accident in his 2004 Dodge Quad Cab.

"I hit a guard rail head-on going 70 mph, my truck then rolled three times, and my front airbags didn't deploy," says Charles, who spent five months in the hospital and still has vision problems. "I should have been killed. That's what the tow truck driver said to my son-in-law. The airbags failed me ... they put my life in risk. My question is: 'Why have a safety feature if it doesn't work?'"

Car Is Hit Multiple Times

That's a question Teresa H. of Columbiana, Alabama, has wondered since she had an accident in her new 2003 Mitsubishi Lancer.

"A lady ran a red light and hit my car several times," says Teresa, who underwent neck surgery after the accident. "She was going about 40 mph when she hit my car and caused it to spin around. My car was hit on the left front side, the right front side, and the back.

"I am complaining because the airbags did not deploy. I was hit very hard ... and no one has explained to me why my airbags didn't deploy. Mitsubishi sent me a brochure that said airbags should deploy in 'near frontal collisions.' That's misleading. My accident fit that category and my airbags didn't deploy."

Conflicting Reports

Randy R. of Brownsville, Oregon, is still in pain from the injuries he suffered during a head-on collision in his 2004 Dodge 3500 4x4 Quad Cab pickup.

"I broke my back, my nose, and have facial injuries from hitting the steering wheel," he says. "I also have chest injuries and ribs that are dislocated and bruised."

Randy says the accident happened in Washington State when he blacked out after taking some prescription medicine.

"I went off the road going about 60 mph, went up on the bank, and was airborne. The truck came straight down and landed nose first into the bank. It was literally standing on its nose.

"I contacted DaimlerChrysler and they sent an independent firm to inspect the pickup and take a reading off the computer," he adds. "Then I got a letter from Dodge saying there was nothing wrong with the airbag system -- they said the airbags didn't deploy because I had an 'angular wreck.' But the police report shows it was a head-on collision."

Mechanics at a local Dodge dealership also inspected Randy's truck, and they discovered a problem with the pickup's airbag system.

"They said there's supposed to be a light on the dash that tells you the system isn't working," he says. "When you turn on the car, the computer is supposed to check the airbag and plug that information into the system. But they (the dealership) said that wasn't working and that's why the airbag failed to deploy."

He adds: "I didn't get killed in this accident, but I was hurt pretty badly. What worries me now is that I have five other Dodge pickups and I wonder if the airbags in those are going to fail?'"

Why Didn't The Airbags Deploy?

But why didn't the airbags deploy in these and other accidents? Are the airbags defective? Should the vehicles be recalled?

We posed those questions to the top car and safety experts in the country, including ones with various automakers, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

They all agreed the airbags in new vehicles seldom fail to deploy when they're supposed to give consumers added protection.

Airbags In New Vehicles Rarely Fail

"In the crash testing we do, airbags are very reliable and only rarely do we discover a problem," says Russ Rader, director of media relations for the Insurance Institute For Highway Safety (IIHS). His non-profit agency tests new vehicles and reports any problems the automakers.

"In most of those cases, the problems we discover are airbags deploying too late ... we rarely hear about airbags failing to deploy at all."

Nationally recognized car expert Richard Diklich of Missouri agrees.

"My experience has been that about 75 percent of the time people have insufficient knowledge about their airbags to know if they should or shouldn't have gone off," he says. "It's pretty rare to have a non-deployment case ... it isn't something that happens that often."

If that's the case, why didn't the airbags deploy in these accidents?

Diklich and other car experts say only a crash scene investigator -- someone who has inspected the vehicle, the accident site, and all the data -- can determine if an airbag failed to deploy when it should have gone off.

Every accident, they say, has a different scenario. And a different set of circumstances.

And all those factors must be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Misconceptions About Airbags

Car experts say many consumers have misconceptions about how their airbags work and when they should deploy.

Specifically, they say consumers don't understand:

• Air bags are not designed to deploy in every accident;

• Certain criteria -- or deployment thresholds -- must be met for airbags to deploy;

• A totaled vehicle is not an indicator of whether an airbag should deploy;

• Air bags are a supplemental restraint system. They are not designed to replace seat belts.

When Should Airbags Deploy?

Most vehicles on the road today have two types of airbags: frontal and side-impact.

Frontal airbags are designed to protect the occupants' heads and chests from hitting the steering wheel, instrument panel, or windshield, experts say.

Side-impact airbags are designed to protect the occupants' heads and/or necks from striking objects inside or outside the vehicle in side impact crashes.

Air bag systems have three main components -- an airbag module, crash sensors, and a diagnostic unit -- that determine if and when the airbags should deploy.

"The airbag system is tuned to deploy when it thinks there's enough energy in the crash to cause harm," says the director of NHTSA's office of data acquisition and the former head of the agency's special crash investigations division. He didn't want his name used in this story.

"You have to look at the energy in the crash. If you're doing 30 mph and you lift your foot off the petal and gradually slow down to zero, do you need you airbag? No.

"But if you're going 30 mph and strike a hard object, like a tree or wall, we'd expect to see your airbags deploy," he says, adding his agency investigates 4,000-5,000 accidents a year.

"If you drive down the road and sideswipe something at 30 mph, you might not have high enough energy to trigger an airbag deployment. The question you have to ask is: 'Is there enough energy from the crash to trigger an airbag deployment?'"

Frontal Airbags

Frontal dual airbags

Side airbags offering torso protection



Side airbags to protect the head or head and torso
Photos courtesy of Insurance Institute for Highway Safety

Car experts say frontal airbags are designed to deploy in moderate or severe crashes that equal hitting a solid barrier going about 8-14 mph. NHTSA says that's the equivalent of hitting a parked car of similar size -- going about 16-28 miles per hour. A parked car absorbs some of the crash's energy, NHTSA says.

Some car makers have different "thresholds" that determine when an airbag should deploy, experts say.

Those thresholds often depend on whether the occupants are wearing their seat belts. The 8-14 mph threshold is generally designed for unbelted passengers; it's higher for belted passenger.

NHTSA say the deployment threshold is lower for unbelted passengers because they continue to move forward -- at the vehicle's original speed -- until their movement is stopped by the steering wheel, instrument panel, or windshield.

Car experts also say there's a 30 degree angle -- on either side of a vehicle's front center -- that generally must be hit for the frontal airbags to deploy.

Car experts also say frontal airbags are not designed to deploy in side impacts, rear impacts, or rollover crashes. Also, these airbags deploy only once -- in about 1/20th of a second -- and deflate immediately. That means they offer no protection if the vehicle is hit -- or rolls over -- multiple times in the same accident.

Side-Impact Airbags

What about side-impact airbags?

Experts say these airbags deploy when the vehicle is hit on its side. Sensors detect if the crash is severe enough for the airbags to deploy.

Side-impact airbags are usually smaller than frontal ones and deploy quickly from the vehicles' seatback, door, or roof to protect front and -- sometimes -- rear-seat passengers.

Some side-curtain airbags may stay inflated longer than other airbags to protect passengers in rollover accidents. This can also prevent passengers from being ejected from the vehicle.

NHTSA says on rare occasions -- and if the crash involves multiple impacts -- the side airbags on the non-struck side of the vehicle may deploy.

Why Didn't My Airbag Deploy?

"I totaled my car, so why didn't my airbag deploy?"

That's a question car experts say they often hear, and it illustrates another misconception many consumers have about their airbags.

Expert says there's no correlation between the crumpled remains of a totaled vehicle and an airbag deployment.

"A totaled vehicle is a monetary measure of whether it would cost more to repair the vehicle than the vehicle is worth," says Diklich, who showed us several smashed cars and trucks during our interview and explained why the airbags did not deploy in some of those crashes.

"I've seen cases where an insurance company has totaled a vehicle and the airbags didn't deploy. This has happened in rollover accidents, and the airbags should not have deployed."

Jim Khoury, manager of advanced safety development for General Motors North America, says he's heard from consumers who are upset because their airbags didn't deploy in accidents that transformed their vehicles into crumpled piles of metal and broken glass.

But there's a scientific -- and safety -- reason their vehicles crushed during those accidents, he says.

"Your vehicle is made to crush, it should crush, and it's crushing to protect you," he explains. "The idea is to minimize the force on your body ... and absorb energy efficiently so that when you hit something, the structure crushes as evenly as possible. There's a whole science behind this technology."

Seat Belts Are Primary

Car experts say some consumers have the dangerous misconception that their airbags give them so much protection they don't need to wear their seat belts.

That's a false -- and potentially deadly -- notion.

"Your seat belts and your airbags work in unison," car expert Diklich says, adding the seat belts hold you in the proper position, which is critical for the airbags to do their job. "But your seat belt is your primary restraint system and your airbag is a supplemental -- secondary -- restraint system."

GM's Khoury echoes that message.

"Air bags supplement seat belts in severe crashes," he says. "They work together. Your seat belt, though, is your primary restraint system. Seat belts save 40,000 lives a year; airbags save approximately 4,000 a year. That shows which restraint system is the most effective and why we tell drivers to please wear their seat belts."

Advanced Airbag Technology

Advances in science and technology, experts say, have made the airbags in most vehicles smarter and safer than earlier models.

Some of these smarter airbags include:

• Advanced frontal airbags, which are designed to reduce injuries and deaths that happen when children and small stature adults sit too close to the airbags when they deployed. NHTSA estimates that more than 100 children have died in these types of airbag-related accidents in recent years;

• Air bags that deploy at different degrees of force -- based on the severity of the crash and the occupants' weight. Experts say most vehicles also have special systems that prevent airbags from deploying if the sensors detect a child in the front passenger seat. Air bags can be dangerous to children 12 and younger because they inflate at speeds up to 100 mph, and that force can severely injure or kill a child who sits too close to the airbag;

• Computer-controlled airbag systems, which let car makers adjust the algorithms that determine when an airbag should deploy. Some earlier model airbags deployed too easily -- or when they weren't needed;

• Rollover canopy systems, which determine if there's going to be a rollover, how fast the vehicle is going to roll, and then deploy the side curtains if needed. The curtains drop down and are designed to stay in place up to six seconds.

What If My Airbag Failed To Deploy?

Despite all these advances, experts say there are still a few, rare cases, when airbags fail to deploy when they should.

Car and safety experts say consumers involved in those types of accidents -- ones that meet all the deployment criteria and the airbags still don't inflate -- should contact NHTSA.

"We want to hear from anyone who thinks their vehicle didn't give them enough protection in a crash," says the director of NHTSA's office of data acquisition. "We especially want to hear from them if they were injured -- particularly if they had facial injuries -- in a crash and their airbags didn't go off. Those cases should be reported to us and we'll investigate.

"We also want to hear from someone who was involved in an accident and a first-responder, policeman, or highway patrolman told them they couldn't believe the airbags didn't deploy," he says, adding his agency has authority to recall vehicles with safety defects.

We learned NHTSA has recalled some vehicles specifically because of problems that could prevent the airbags from deploying in an accident.

The agency, for example, recalled 488 of Dodge's 2000-model year Neon's because "some frontal (passenger side) airbags may not inflate properlyand in the event of a crash, the passenger may not be adequately restrained, increasing the risk of personal injury."

This is a copy of NHTSA's recall summery on that vehicle:

Recalls Summary
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
DODGE / NEON 2000
Recall Number: 99V043000
Summary:
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. SOME FRONTAL (PASSENGER SIDE) AIR BAGS MAY NOT INFLATE PROPERLY.
Consequence:
IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE PASSENGER MAY NOT BE ADEQUATELY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE AIR BAG MODULE ON THE PASSENGER SIDE.
Notes:
OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN APRIL 5, 1999. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-992-1997. ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S AUTO SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-DASH-2-DOT (1-888-327-4236).

We also learned NHTSA recalled 85,154 of Honda's 2005 model-year Odyssey minivans because some had corrosion problems that could "cause a delay in, or loss of, frontal airbag deployment, which can increase the risk of injury in a frontal crash."

This is a copy of NHTSA's recall summary on that vehicle:

Recalls Summary
Make / Models : Model/Build Years:
HONDA / ODYSSEY 2005
Recall Number: 05V344000
Summary:
THE FRONTAL AIR BAG SYSTEM HAS TWO EXTERNAL IMPACT SENSORS. ON CERTAIN MINI VANS SOME SENSORS WERE INSUFFICIENTLY SEALED DURING MANUFACTURING. IF WATER ENTERS A SENSOR, CORROSION CAN OCCUR. CORRODED SENSORS COULD SHORT CIRCUIT INTERNALLY. IF SENSORS FAIL, THE SRS WARNING LAMP ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WILL TURN ON AND REMAIN ILLUMINATED.
Consequence:
FRONT IMPACT SENSOR FAILURE COULD CAUSE A DELAY IN, OR LOSS OF, FRONTAL AIR BAG DEPLOYMENT, WHICH CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF INJURY IN A FRONTAL CRASH.
Remedy:
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT IMPACT SENSORS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 30, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT HONDA AT 1-800-999-1009.
Notes:
HONDA RECALL NO P80. CUSTOMERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236; (TTY: 1-800-424-9153); OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.

Consumers can file complaints about possible safety defects with their vehicles on NHTSA's Web site: www.nhtsa.dot.gov. They can also call the agency's Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 to report any problems. NHTSA says consumers need to have their vehicle's VIN (vehicle information number) handy when they contact the agency.

Consumers should also report their experience to ConsumerAffairs.com, which investigates consumer grievances and shares its complaint database with class-actiion attorneys, law enforcement agencies and media outlets.

Consumers can also check for any recalls or safety defects with their vehicles -- or find out its crash and rollover ratings -- on NHTSA's Web site.

"We're trying to do all we can to make vehicles safer," NHTSA's director of office of data acquisition says, adding 17 million vehicles are sold each year. "We want to hear from consumers who think their vehicles aren't safe. We want to know -- and investigate -- what's working and what's not working. After all, our kids drive cars and we want every vehicle out there to be as safe as possible."

So does Chad, the chiropractor involved in the head-on collision.

"I remember after my accident the tow truck driver came around and told me the airbag didn't go off. Then he said: 'I see this happen all the time in Fords.' If this is such a common problem, I'd like to know why Ford hadn't done anything about it. Maybe it's a bad design. This was the top of the line Expedition. It was supposed to be a safe vehicle."

When we interviewed Chad, he hadn't contacted NHTSA about the Expedition's airbags failing to deploy in his accident.

He now plans to make that call.

Airbags in New Cars Seldom Fail, Experts Insist...
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Certified Dangerous: Used Cars' Airbags

Many "Certified" Used Cars are Rebuilt Wrecks with Bogus Titles


A grieving mother -- haunted by her 16-year-old son's death on a dark, two-lane road in Hoke County, North Carolina -- repeatedly visited the crash scene.

She combed the area for clues into the 2004 death of her son -- a national honor student who volunteered at a nursing home.

"I became a Crime Scene Investigator," Diane W. of Fayetteville, North Carolina, recalls. "Nobody was giving me any answers. I had to find out what happened -- why my son died."

What she discovered shattered her faith in a safety feature she believed would protect her son in a serious accident.

Now she's convinced that safety feature -- one the federal government has required in all passenger vehicles since 1998 -- failed to protect her son and contributed to his death.

October 22, 2004

To understand how she reached that conclusion you have to journey back to the night of October 22, 2004.

Diane's husband and son, Torian, went on their regular, Friday night outing to shoot pool and swap stories.

"My husband was driving and my son was in the passenger's seat," Diane says, adding they were in the family's 2002 Ford Explorer. "A dog suddenly came running out and my husband swerved to miss him. His front tire got stuck on the soft shoulder of the road and the Explorer flipped eight times."

Diane learned the Explorer rolled to the right and landed first on Torian's side.

Startling Discovery

Diane then made another discovery -- one she's still struggling to understand. The side airbag -- the one she believed gave her family added protection in rollover accidents -- did not deploy on Torian's side.

Torian and the wreckage of his Ford Explorer

"The death certificate says my son died of severe head trauma," says Diane, who took Torian out of the body bag to inspect his injuries. "The right side of his head took the brunt of the accident. His skull was pushed in ... when I identified him, I could see on his skull where his head took the brunt of the accident."

Diane is convinced her son -- a 5'9", 300-pound football player who dreamed of being an architect -- would be alive if the side airbag had deployed.

"That would have saved his life because his head wouldn't have taken the brunt of the accident and the injuries wouldn't have been so massive," she says, adding the Explorer had six airbags and only the one on the driver's side deployed in the accident. Her husband survived the crash, but has a permanent shoulder disability. "When we bought that vehicle, our main concern was having airbags. We wanted a safe vehicle."

Similar Concerns

A five-month ConsumerAffairs.com investigation reveals the problem of airbags not deploying in serious accidents like the one that claimed Diane's son is not an isolated instance.

We examined more than 160 complaints from consumers nationwide who echoed Diane's concerns and say their airbags failed to deploy and protect them in an accident.

Most of the accidents were the type that drivers expect will cause their airbags to deploy: head-on collisions, rollovers, and broadside crashes. Few were minor fender-benders.

Many consumers suffered serious and life-changing injuries when their airbags failed to deploy.

Others lost loved ones.

During our investigation, we interviewed more than 60 consumers -- from Hawaii to New Jersey -- about their accidents.

Many told us authorities who responded to their crash scenes -- paramedics, firefighters, state troopers and tow truck drivers -- expressed concerns about their airbags' failure to deploy.

Our investigation found these accident happened in cars, trucks, minivans, and SUV's made by Ford, General Motors, DaimlerChrysler, Mitsubishi, Kia, Volkswagen, Nissan, and Honda. One happened in a rental car.

Some occurred in new vehicles, even though national car experts say airbags in new vehicles rarely fail to deploy when needed because of the systems' advanced technology. They also say airbags aren't designed to deploy in every accident. And only a crash scene investigator -- someone who has inspected the vehicle, the accident site, and all the data -- can determine if an airbag should have deployed in a particular wreck.

Many accidents we examined also happened in older, one-owner, models.

But the majority of the complaints we received about airbags failing to deploy in different accidents involved used vehicles. We also discovered the accidents in which consumers suffered the most serious injuries -- or lost a loved one -- happened in used vehicles.

Diane's son, for example, died in a used Ford Explorer.

Certified Dangerous

Her complaint -- and the scores of others we investigated -- led us into a seedy world where unscrupulous individuals haphazardly rebuild severely damaged vehicles and then sell them as safe and "certified" used cars, trucks, minivans, and SUV's.

We learned these unsavory "rebuilders" often disable the airbags when they put the wrecks back together. And in some cases, they don't even bother to replace the deployed airbags.

A rebuilder stuffed a used airbag back into the steering wheel on this retitled wreck.

These shady rebuilders conceal all signs of previous damage to the vehicles -- and their titles. Unsuspecting consumers who buy them have no idea they're getting a rebuilt wreck -- until it's too late.

"I'm here to tell you there are a whole lot of these cases where the airbags aren't deploying in rebuilt wrecks," says nationally recognized consumer attorney Bernard Brown of Kansas City, Missouri. His specialty is car fraud and he's represented clients who've been duped by car dealers selling rebuilt wrecks and vehicles with rolled-back odometers.

"Unlike Ford, GM, Honda, and other car makers, there are no safety standards that protect consumers from these rebuilders," he said.

During our interview with Brown, we reviewed some of the complaints we received about airbags failing to deploy in different accidents -- specifically those in which consumers suffered serious injuries or lost a loved one.

"Are those used vehicles?" Brown immediately asked. "I would suspect that's what you have ... that would be at the top of my list."

Brown was right.

The accidents we discussed with him all happened in used vehicles.

Does that mean our consumers unknowingly purchased rebuilt wrecks? Our investigation reveals many of their vehicles had problems that are typical -- and telltale signs -- of rebuilt wrecks: airbags not deploying in serious accidents and seat belts not holding occupants in place.

But the consumers we interviewed didn't have a car expert -- someone specifically trained to identify previous damage -- inspect their vehicles after the accidents. And their vehicles have since been repaired, totaled, or crushed.

Consumer experts also say reports that list a vehicle's history, like Carfax, don't always reveal previous damage.

Fiance Dies In Head-On Collision

During our investigation, we interviewed a woman whose 26-year-old fiance died in a head-on collision.

Alicia S. of Mountain View, Arkansas, says her fiance, Ricardo, was driving a used 1998 Dodge Neon.

The car's airbags didn't deploy when he hit a tree.

"The accident occurred at night on a single lane, paved road in Arkansas," Alicia says, adding Ricardo had just started working for a company that raised chickens. He was driving from one chicken house to another when the accident occurred. "Ricardo had three co-workers in the car when he fell asleep at the wheel. He left the road and struck a tree head-on. The airbag on the passenger's side deployed, but the driver's side did not.

"His cause of death is listed as blunt force trauma to the chest," Alicia says, adding Ricardo's co-workers survived the crash. "If the airbag had deployed, he would be alive because he might not have had the chest trauma that killed him. That's what the state troopers told me. They also said they couldn't believe his airbag didn't deploy."

Single Mom Suffers Head Injury

Beth R. of Albany, Oregon dreamed of becoming a veterinarian. But that dream vanished when she sustained a head injury in a roll-over accident.

The single mom went from a straight "A" college student to someone who can no longer solve simple problems.

Her accident happened in a used 2000 Dodge Neon. Its airbags didn't deploy, either.

"I was driving a few miles under the speed limit, on a straight flat road in Albany, on my way to college" she says of the January 18, 2005, accident. "As I approached an upcoming wide turn, I took my foot off the gas. When I did, the rear of the vehicle began to fishtail. I had the knee-jerk response to brake. The car immediately began to do 360's and eventually rolled over several times until I ended up crashing head first into an irrigation ditch.

"My head hit the windshield," adds Beth, who is still going through rehabilitation. "I physically walked away from the accident, but my brain no longer has the same capacity. If the airbags had deployed, I would not have the injuries I have. The airbags not deploying took away the remainder of what I thought was going to be a great life."

Pregnant Woman Injured

Shantel C. of Henderson, Nevada, was eight months pregnant when she was injured in a head-on collision.

Her baby is fine, but she's still struggling with debilitating headaches.

She was driving a used 1999 Chevrolet Camaro. And its airbags didn't deploy in the accident.

"I was hit head-on by a guy doing 50 mph," Shantel says of the January, 2006, accident.

"Thankfully, I was wearing my seatbelt and my baby is all right. But I did do some nerve damage when my head smacked into the windshield, and I'm now working with a neurologist.

"My dad said the airbags should have deployed," she adds. "He's been in the towing business for 35 years and has seen a lot of accidents. My car had two front airbags and you could see that both sensors were hit. When we called the dealership, though, they told us: 'Even if the airbags are faulty, it's not our fault you got in a crash, and next time watch where you are driving.' And then they hung up."

Car Dealers Assured Consumers

Shantel and other consumers we interviewed say the main reason they bought their vehicles is because they had airbags. Those airbags, they say, gave them an added sense of safety.

So did the dealerships, which assured them the airbags -- and their used vehicles -- were in perfect condition.

"We were told the car had gone through an inspection and had never been in an accident," Shantel says. "We specifically asked about the airbags because we wanted that protection. We had them run a Carfax report (which checks the vehicle's history) and we were told everything checked out."

ConsumerAffairs.com also ran a Carfax report on Shantel's Camaro, and confirmed it doesn't list any previous damage.

The report also shows Shantel's Camaro now has a junk title the state of Nevada issued two months after her accident -- in March, 2006.

Remember Diane, who lost her son in a rollover accident? Her husband, Willy, says the dealership convinced his family the Explorer was in mint condition.

"They gave us a checklist of everything on the vehicle and said it all checked out fine. That's why I went to a dealer ... I thought they were reliable."

Willy, however, recalls one comment the dealership made that -- in retrospect -- makes him question the Explorer's history.

"They said the vehicle had all new airbags. At the time, I really didn't get the concept of what that meant or why the car would even need new airbags. I didn't think about that until later."

ConsumerAffairs.com ran a Carfax report on Willy's Explorer, which shows the SUV was a previously leased vehicle and its airbags have never deployed. The report also shows the SUV had a clean title when an auto auction sold it as a fleet vehicle in April 2004.

Willy bought the Explorer one month later.

The Carfax report also reveals Willy's Explorer is now flagged as a "salvage" vehicle -- one that's apparently back on the road. We learned the Explorer was registered as a lease vehicle on March 15, 2005.

When Alicia and her fiance bought their used Neon, the dealership said it had examined the car and found no problems.

"They said the car had been inspected, the airbags had been checked out, and everything was fine," Alicia recalls. "Having airbags was important to Ricardo. He asked the dealer if everything worked and he was told the car was fine."

But Alicia later made a troubling discovery -- one that also makes her question the car's history.

"We ran the car's VIN (vehicle identification number) after the wreck and it came back to a completely different person ... someone other than the name (listed as the previous owner) on the title."

That doesn't surprise Ira Rheingold, general counsel for the National Association of Consumer Advocates.

"This is a typical thing where folks buy a used car and they don't know what has happened to the vehicle," says Rheingold, whose non-profit group is comprised of attorneys and consumer advocates. "On a federal level, there is very limited protection for consumers. There is no national data base and people often times buy a vehicle and they don't know its real history."

Next: Insurers and the Rebuilt Wreck Scam

Certified Dangerous: Used Cars' Airbags...
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A Baffling Airbag Case


For the past five months, ConsumerAffairs.com has investigated complaints about airbags failing to deploy in serious accidents.

Many consumers we interviewed suffered debilitating injuries in these accidents. And they blame those injuries on their airbags' failure to deploy.

We examined more than 160 complaints about this problem and discovered:

• The consumers who suffered the most serious injuries and even deaths drove used cars -- ones that might be rebuilt wrecks;

• The airbags in newer vehicles rarely fail to deploy when they're supposed to protect consumers. Advance technology, experts say, has made airbags smarter and safer;

• Consumers often have misconceptions about airbags, including when they should deploy. Air bags, for example, are not designed to deploy in every accident. Certain criteria must be met. They're also not designed to replace seat belts. Seat belts are the primary restraint system in a vehicle and car and safety experts say motorist should always wear them;

• Only a crash scene investigator -- someone who has examined the vehicle, the accident site, and all the data -- can determine if an airbag failed to deploy when it should have gone off.

But we discovered one case where even a crash scene investigator couldn't determine why the airbags didn't deploy in a consumer's accident.

Andrea P. of Helotes, Texas, was in a head-on collision in her 1995 Chevy Z710 extended-cab pickup. She suffered a head injury, had to have staples put in her skull, and still has chronic headaches and neck pain.

"I was heading home from work and came upon a green light," Andrea recalls of the August, 2005, accident. "A car was coming in the opposite direct and turned in front of me and hit me head-on. I was going about 45 mph. My vehicle then re-directed itself and hit another vehicle -- again head-on. So I hit two other vehicles, head-on, and my airbags never deployed."

She adds: "I think my injuries would be less serious if the airbags had deployed. The seat belt stopped me, but not enough to stop my head from hitting something inside the car."

Andrea contacted General Motors after her accident, and the car maker sent an investigator to inspect her truck and other crash data.

"He looked at the truck and took some 200 pictures of the pickup," she says, adding she knew the truck's previous owner and is certain it had never been wrecked. "He also said GM has a computer in its cars that will tell you if there's a problem with the airbags. He checked my truck and said the computer showed the airbag system was operable and the airbags had deployed."

The bottom line?

"When he finished, the investigator told me there's no reason why the airbags should not have gone off in my accident."

A Baffling Airbag Case...
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Statistics Show Airbags Getting Safer

Government safety statistics show a continuing drop in airbag-related deaths and injuries as technology and seat beat use improves

Government safety statistics show a continuing drop in airbag-related deaths and injuries as technology and seat beat use improves.

Two children died in the U.S. last year as a result of injuries caused by airbags. No adults were killed according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). That is an improvement over previous years.

While the reduced number of deaths and injuries can be attributed to better airbag technology, more people are wearing seat belts and more children and infants are being placed in the back seat.

1997 was the worst year for airbag-related deaths and injuries when 53 people died including 31 children. Airbags have killed 264 people since NHTSA became keeping a record of the deaths and injuries.

On the other hand, NHTSA estimates that airbags have saved almost 20,000 lives.

There is, however, a continuing problem with airbags failing to deploy in accidents. There are no reliable statistics on how many deaths and injuries have been cauased by such incidents.

Advanced frontal airbag technologies vary but most airbags are designed to deploy with varying strength depending on the size and location of vehicle occupants and whether those occupants are wearing seat belts. Sensors built into the passenger compartment determine the power of deployment.

NHTSA statistics show that newer cars and trucks have the best airbag records. No deaths were reported from the 2002 and 2003 model years. One death was reported from the 2004 model year.

Critics argue that even the newest airbags still are capable of inflicting injuries and ought to be a matter of choice and not government mandate.

Statistics Show Airbags Getting Safer...
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Toyota RAV4 Wins "Double Best Pick" Safety Rating

But Same Model Gets "Poor" Rating Without Side Airbags

The 2004 Toyota RAV4 came up a winner and a loser in the latest Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash test. The small SUV was the first vehicle to earn good ratings and "best pick" designations for both front and side impact crashes -- but only when it was equipped with optional side airbags.

But without the optional side airbatgs, it tested poor for side impact protection.

"Results for this small SUV show manufacturers can provide good protection for occupants in the two most common kinds of serious crashes," says Institute chief operating officer Adrian Lund. "Unfortunately Toyota hasn't made side airbags standard, and the RAV4 without side airbags is still rated poor for side impact protection."

The Institute also tested the Subaru Legacy, which earned a good rating and a "best pick" designation in the frontal test but a marginal rating in the side impact test. This midsize inexpensive car was redesigned for the 2005 model year.

The RAV4 was tested because of the recent addition of side airbags and because Toyota made some changes to the vehicle's front-end structure to improve frontal crash performance. Both the RAV4 and the Legacy belong to groups of vehicles that the Institute evaluated in earlier front and side crashes.

This is the third version of the RAV4 evaluated in the Institute's frontal test.

"In the first frontal crash test in 1998, the RAV4 was a marginal performer," Lund says. The dummy's head hit the window frame during the crash. Its knee hit a metal flange under the steering column, which punctured the dummy's vinyl "skin." High accelerations were recorded on the dummy's head and chest. There also was a likelihood of injury to the left leg.

The RAV4 was redesigned in 2001, and its performance improved. "But it still was rated only acceptable in the frontal test," Lund says. High accelerations were recorded when the dummy's head struck the steering wheel through the driver airbag, and forces on both legs indicated the possibility of injuries.

For 2004 model RAV4s manufactured after December 2003, Toyota made structural modifications to improve offset test performance.

"RAV4s with the modifications are much improved," Lund says. "The dummy's movement during the crash was well controlled, and injury measures taken from the head, neck, and chest all were low. The new RAV4 is now a good performer and a best pick' in the frontal test."

RAV4's side test results improve with side airbags: In the Institute's first set of side impact tests of small SUVs, the 2003 RAV4 was among seven designs that earned the lowest rating of poor. Only the Subaru Forester with standard side airbags and the 2001-04 Ford Escape with optional side airbags earned good ratings. The Hyundai Santa Fe with standard side airbags was rated acceptable.

Side airbags are reducing risks in real-world crashes, the Institute claims. Its research shows that in vehicles with side airbags to protect the head, the risk of a fatal injury is reduced by 45 percent among drivers of cars struck on the driver side. Side airbags that protect the chest and abdomen, but not the head, also are reducing deaths but are less effective (about a 10 percent reduction in deaths).

Before the availability of head-protecting airbags, there was virtually nothing to prevent people's heads from being struck by intruding vehicles or rigid objects like trees or poles in serious side impacts.

The Institute recently tested 13 midsize car designs, and only the Honda Accord and Toyota Camry with optional side airbags earned good ratings. The Chevrolet Malibu with side airbags was acceptable. The rest were poor.



Toyota RAV4 Wins ...
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Side Airbags Saving Lives, Study Finds

First study to estimate airbags' effectiveness

Side airbags that include head protection are reducing deaths by about 45 percent among drivers of passenger cars struck on the near (driver) side. Side airbags that protect the chest and abdomen, but not the head, also are reducing deaths, but they're less effective (about 10 percent).

These are the major findings of an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety study of the real-world effectiveness of side airbags. It's the first such study to estimate the effectiveness of this type of occupant protection.

Each year more than 9,000 passenger vehicle occupants die in side impacts. Head injuries are a leading cause. The new research findings mean the toll should be reduced in the future.

"The need for head protection in side impacts has been obvious for some time," says Institute president Brian O'Neill. "Before head-protecting airbags were available there was virtually nothing to prevent people's heads from being struck by intruding vehicles or rigid objects like trees and poles in serious side impact crashes. Now we know side airbags can change this and do a good job of protecting heads."

When occupants' heads are in the window areas of vehicles they're especially vulnerable to being struck by intruding vehicles or objects. O'Neill points out that "the increasing number of high-riding vehicles on the road these days increases this risk, making it more likely that the front end of a striking vehicle in a side impact will hit the heads of occupants in the struck vehicle. This is why side airbags with head protection are so important."

Side airbags that protect the torso only don't represent as fundamental a safety improvement. They're an alternative way to protect the chest and abdomen in a side impact, but not the only way. Padding the vehicle interior also can protect occupants' torsos.

Consumer complaints about Side Airbags Saving Lives, Study Finds...
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