The biggest car recall ever seems to be coming to an end, but first, the millions of replacement pumps themselves are being recalled which could be dangerous.
As the final phase of a 2015 recall agreement between airbag giant Takata and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 10 million airbags with replacement inflators are currently being recalled.
NHTSA noted that while many inflatable parts have never been fitted into vehicles, there are 14 manufacturers with vehicles that may be affected.
Manufacturers will evaluate and come up with specific models that are affected, and just because the name of an automaker is on this list does not mean that any of its products will be recalled in the near future.
The Takata airbag recall story has been going on for years, starting in the first half of the previous decade, but it seems to be finally coming to an end. Now, in the final recall, 10 million additional vehicles with inflatable parts in Takata-made front airbags are now bankrupt, which has now been recalled due to the possibility of exploding and spreading metal fragments onto passengers on board. NHTSA’s report, on January 2, says that the estimated rate of inflated people actually faulty is estimated at 1%.
Automakers with vehicles that can participate are Audi, BMW, Honda, Daimler (truck), Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), Ferrari, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, and Volkswagen. An FCA spokesman clarified to C/D that their cars subject to this notice were recalled in 2015, so a new recall will not take place.
To find out if you have a car being recalled, visit NHTSA’s recall website. Examples include many 1999–2001 BMW 3-series cars, Audi and Volkswagen Passat from 2015–2017, and Subaru Forester, Legacy, and Outback 2010–2014.
The major recall is part of a recall schedule implemented in a 2015 agreement between Takata and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA noted that many pumps are never installed on vehicles. Automakers will identify which models are specifically equipped with the recall device and make their own recall notices.
Ironically, the inflatable parts in this recall were again used to replace the original faulty parts. They are recognized as safer because they are newer and not exposed to temperature and humidity, which degrades old blowers and increases their ability to degrade and explode. The recall is planned based on the age of the vehicles and their location, with vehicles registered further south, exposed to heat and humidity, to be recalled sooner.
