Does your car have one of the recalled Takata airbags?
May 20, 2015, 7:48 AM | Updated: 8:08 am
Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla. displays a defective Takata airbag that has been linked to multiple deaths and injuries in cars driven in the US. (AP)
(AP)
Airbag manufacturer Takata has admitted to the U.S. Department of Transportation that its product is defective, and has called for a nation-wide recall of nearly 34 million airbags.
It is one of the largest recalls in history.
The department insisted that Takata make the announcement that the airbags’ propellers degrade over time. The defect has led to malfunctions and has been cited as the cause of six deaths.
“Today is a major step forward for public safety,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Secretary Foxx. “The Department of Transportation is taking the proactive steps necessary to ensure that defective inflators are replaced with safe ones as quickly as possible, and that the highest risks are addressed first. We will not stop our work until every air bag is replaced.”
The department has established a new website where drivers can look up their car’s VIN and find out if their vehicle contains a Takata airbag and is subject to the recall.
The recall aims to replace the airbags in cars at risk. Vehicles will be prioritized by geographic location (places of high humidity are at more risk) and the age of the vehicle.
Visit www.safercar.gov/rs/takata to find out more information about the Takata recall.
