BMW has called on the owners of 90,000 vehicles to stop driving them over concerns that air bags may explode in the event of a crash. The call applies to cars that were recalled previously to replace Takata air bag inflators. These inflators use volatile ammonium nitrate to initiate inflation in an accident. But when exposed to heat and humidity, the chemical can deteriorate, resulting in shrapnel being hurled at drivers and passengers. Fatalities have been reported as a result of exploding Takata-made air bags, with about 33 deaths and 400 injuries worldwide since 2009. The BMW recall covers the driver’s front air bag inflators made by Takata in the models 3 Series, 5 Series, and X5.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has warned that inflators supplied by Takata could rupture during deployment, causing metal debris to spray inside the cabin. The faulty inflators can cause serious injury or even death, leading to a recall of about 350,000 BMW vehicles in the US. With the recall, about 70 million inflators across the US have now been affected, making it the 16th of its kind since 2009 and one of the largest. The recall affects certain BMW models made between 2000 and 2006, involving the 3 Series, 5 Series, and X5 Series. To check whether their car is affected, BMW owners can access the automaker’s recall website. The inflators were supplied by Takata, whose inflators have been responsible for at least 33 deaths and 400 injuries worldwide, including 24 deaths in the US.
Many carmakers buy the non-azide driver airbag inflators from the same manufacturer, Takata. Over 30 deaths worldwide, including at least 23 US fatalities, and hundreds of injuries are linked to Takata airbag inflators that can explode, sending deadly metal shrapnel hurtling into the vehicle. Honda, for instance, has advised owners of 1.4 million vehicles in the US, including multi-year model Hondas, Acuras, and Hondas that were part of the automaker’s last recall of Takata airbags in 2020, to park their cars and get them repaired if they still need airbag replacement. The automaker issues a “DO NOT DRIVE” warning to ensure all owners have ample notice of the recall, and for the first time, it will use social media to alert owners of the vehicles. The warning covers cars with non-azide driver airbag inflators. The move comes after the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration determined that cars that are over six years old have a heightened risk of explosion.
Honda urged owners to repair their cars that were recalled due to the airbag inflation device. Recall and replacement have been complicated by the fact that not every vehicle uses the same replacement part, making the process longer and more complicated. Seventy percent of the vehicles on the recalled list have already been fixed; however, 313,000 Honda vehicles have not yet been repaired. Honda is urging all customers with a recalled vehicle to immediately contact an authorized dealer to have it fixed. The company has also tripled the size of its loaner fleet to aid repairs.
Stellantis, in association with the NHTSA, has confirmed a third death related to an exploding Takata airbag inflator in the US. The company said the latest death followed two others caused by the airbags in November. It also urged the owners of 274,000 Dodge and Chrysler vehicles built between 2005 and 2010 to “stop driving them until faulty inflators are replaced.” Older Dodge Magnum wagons, Dodge Challenger and Charger muscle cars, and Chrysler 300 sedans have been among the models included in the recall. The Takata devices have so far led to the deaths of at least 33 people worldwide, with most fatalities occurring in the US.
The recalls of cars with Takata airbag inflators are proving a long and complicated process. Despite the life-threatening consequences of airbag inflator ruptures, many owners have not yet had repairs carried out on their vehicles. Automakers should prioritize and encourage owners of vehicles with recalled airbags to take them in for repair as soon as possible. Recall processes should be expedited to reduce the risks and consequences of airbag inflator rupture. In conclusion, recalling vehicles equipped with faulty Takata airbag inflators is overdue and must continue until all defective devices are removed from the roads.
