The Takata Airbag Fiasco Isn’t Over: Why Automakers Are Selling New Cars with Known Defects

The Takata Corporation was at the heart of one of the largest recalls in history when information surfaced that the airbag manufacturer had fudged data on safety reports to automakers. The faulty airbag inflators installed in most cars, can explode with excessive force and spray metal shrapnel. Takata’s actions are suspected to have caused at least 13 deaths and over 100 injuries globally. So far, the recall has affected nearly 100 million inflators.

Why Takata is still in the news

The recall is still ongoing, and will likely continue for some time to come. Takata lacks the resources to replace the millions of defective inflators simultaneously, and there are logistical difficulties in the manufacturing process that extend the timeframe to replace all the faulty units to years. This unbelievable scenario allows people to continue to be hurt on a frequent basis. While the issue is known and the recalls have been made very public, a recent article from Reuters raises a new concern about the defective products:

“Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz USA and Daimler Vans units and Ferrari NV are among a small group of automakers selling some new vehicles with faulty Takata airbags that will be subject to recalls by the end of 2018, a U.S. Senate report said on Wednesday. The vehicles are legal to sell since the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has said they will not become potentially unsafe until exposed to high humidity for an extended period. Safety advocates and some in Congress have criticized the sale of vehicles that will be recalled.”

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration claims that the vehicles are not vulnerable to exploding airbags without being exposed to a high level of humidity for an extended period of time. This lulls people into a false sense of security. How can the government know this information, when there has been no exposure to long term humidity since this is a newer product? It is “buyer beware.” Additionally, most of the automakers named in the Senate report claim that dealers will inform buyers of the pending recall at the time of purchase, but this promise fails to address the true problem; why defective units are being sold at all.

Irresponsible practices can have deadly consequences
Defective products cost lives, and knowingly selling a defective product to a un- or under-informed customer can have disastrous consequences. Just last November, we wrote about Randi Johnson, a 25-year-old who was lucky to survive the effects of an explosive airbag deployment; she suffered a severed trachea and severely damaged vocal chords. When there is even a small risk that another person could be similarly affected, selling a product with a known defect is the highest form of negligence.

If you or your loved one has been injured by a defective airbag or any other defective product, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries, medical expenses and lost wages. The experienced South Carolina defective auto product attorneys at McGowan, Hood, Felder & Phillips LLC can evaluate your case and help get you the compensation you deserve. Call 803-327-7800 or contact us today for a free consultation.