7.8 million vehicles have been recalled due to an airbag malfunction. The airbags, which are manufactured by Takata, explode with too much force when they are set off. The extra force is enough to rupture the container the holds the airbag, which sends metal and plastic fragments into the passengers in the vehicle.
There are more than 50 vehicle models that are affected by the recall that was put out by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, or NHTSA. The models come from Honda, Toyota, Mazda, Nissan, BMW, Mitsubishi, Chrysler, Subaru, Ford, and General Motors, all that were made between 2000 and 2011.
So far, the problem has been linked to four deaths, and is more common in hot and humid areas. Drivers of vehicles that could possibly be affected are urged to take action immediately by taking their vehicle to a dealership and get their vehicle checked out. The NHTSA says that people in Alabama, Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Georgia, and Hawaii are most susceptible to the issue, since they are all hot, humid areas.
Unfortunately, there are not enough available airbags to replace all of the airbags in affected vehicles. Toyota suggested turning off the passenger side airbag if you have to wait for your replacement bags. Takata has apologized for the issue, and is looking for the cause of the problem. They suspect that the problem is associated with the use of ammonium nitrate as the ignition chemical in the airbags. When the chemical is exposed to humidity, such as in southern states, it causes the airbags to go off.
To see if your vehicle has been affected, you can all the NHTSA’s safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236.
For more information on the recall and for all of your auto insurance needs to ensure that you are protected in any situation, contact Agers Insurance Services in Oakley, California.