Takata Airbag Issue Far From Over

It appears the debacle with faulty Takata airbags is far from over as five automakers have announced more recalls of vehicles equipped with the airbags in question.

The recalls cover around 1.4 million older vehicles equipped with defective airbags that had a different design than those included in previous recalls related to Takata. According to reports, safety investigators were made aware of at least one injury and two fatalities outside the United States related to the problem.

BMW, so far, is the only automaker to announce which models are affected by the latest recall, but the other companies are expected to release their own lists soon.

Based on documents shared by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the faulty airbags may have improperly sealed inflators. This can allow excessive moisture to come in and eventually cause the airbags to deploy without enough force to protect passengers in a crash. There is also a possibility for the airbags to rupture and release sharp metal fragments directly at the people sitting in front of the airbags. In such cases, there is a likelihood of serious injuries or death.

This makes Takata responsible for “the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history,” according to the NHTSA, with more than 41.6 million vehicles having been recalled due to the defective airbags. The problem is also linked to a total of 16 deaths in the United States and at least 24 deaths and 300 injuries worldwide.

In this latest recall, BMW is pulling out over 116,000 vehicles from the 1999 to 2001 model years. The list of vehicles includes 1999-2001 323i, 325i, 328i, and 330i, as well as 2000-2001 323Ci, 328Ci, 330Ci, 323iT, and 325iT sedans, coupes, and wagons.

Rounding up the list of automakers that announced a recall are Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi, and Audi.