The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Currently Investigating the Takata Brand Airbags for Possible Recall.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is currently investigating whether to require a recall by at least seven major auto manufacturers whose vehicles are equipped with Takata brand airbags.
Some automakers have already voluntarily recalled several million vehicles, beginning with model year 2008 and continuing through 2014. The issue seems to be a defective airbag inflator which deploys the airbag with too much force. Takata uses the compound ammonium nitrate (the same compound used by Timothy McVeigh to bomb the Federal building in Oklahoma City) in its airbag inflator.
The substance is both volatile and highly sensitive to moisture. Takata has identified manufacturing problems in which the ammonium nitrate used during the manufacture of their airbags was exposed to too much moisture in its plants in Moses Lake, Washington, and Monclova Township, Ohio.
The result is that the inflator propellant burns too fast and may blow apart the metal casing surrounding it, sending hot gases and shrapnel into the passenger compartment, most notably into the driver. NHTSA’s preliminary investigation listed the following automakers as the primary users of Takata airbag inflators: Honda, Nissan, Mazda, Chrysler Group, BMW, Toyota, and General Motors.
If you own a vehicle manufactured by one of these automakers during the period 2008 – 2014, you should be particularly cautious and regularly check the Automaker’s Website and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website for recall information regarding the airbags in your vehicle.
I am local accident attorney Jeffrey Meldon and I strongly believe that public education is the first step in the prevention of and/or recovery from a serious accident. My office and I take pride in our work, and the results we get for our clients.
Meldon Law is a regional law firm that is located in Gainesville, Florida. We are personal injury attorneys, litigators and trial attorneys that have been working to get accident victims the justice they deserve for over 50 years throughout North Florida and all over Florida. Accidents involving a car crash, truck wreck, motorcycle, ATVs, bicycle, pedestrian accidents, and dog bites, slip and falls, medical malpractice, and criminal defense are all included in our practice.
For more information on how we can help you, or with any other question you may have, feel free to contact our office at 800-373-8000.
