Is Your Vehicle Part of the Takata AirBag Recall?

Car Accidents are dangerous enough when the safety equipment and safety features function properly. When they do not, they can seriously increase the risk of a crash resulting in severe injury and even death. In some instances, they fail in such a way that they are the actual cause of the injury, not the car crash. Unfortunately, that has been the case with the defective Takata air bags.

Takata air bags have been apart a massive global recall after their air bags explode with too much force leading to injuries. Specifically, this leads to shrapnel being propelled into the driver or passenger’s body resulting in serious injuries or death. Unfortunately, a young woman from Texas was killed after her defective Takata air bag deployed, propelling a piece of metal shrapnel into her neck. 15 other people have been killed by Takata Air Bags and nearly 200 people were injured since the defect was discovered. 

The issue with the air bags is with the design. The airbags are small compared to those made by other companies, making them more appealing to car manufacturers. The airbags were so small, because they use ammonium nitrate to cause the airbag to engage after an accident. However, this chemical can become extremely unstable if it is exposed to extreme heat or humidity, like the summer heat in Austin. Additionally, the airbags can deploy unexpectedly, like in a low-speed fender-bender accident, or even when a car attempts to stop at a red light. Some older versions of this airbag may not have been properly sealed and will fail to inflate during a crash or under inflate, which can lead to individual’s deaths. 

The recall of Takata airbags has been one of the largest and most complex recalls in United States history, and this recall has not been isolated to just the United States. Takata airbags were in cars delivered and purchased all over the world. It is estimated that 63 million airbags need to be recalled. The newest company to recall their vehicles because of Takata airbags is Ford, recalling 3 million vehicles to date. For more information on the Takata air bag recall, please see the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) site

Through the NHTSA’s site, you can also check to see if your car is affected by the Takata Air Bag recall or any other open recall from your vehicle’s manufacturer. To do so, you need only enter either your car’s vin number or the make and model of your car 

If you were hurt or injured in a car accident or other type of crash and you think or suspect that something in your vehicle was defective, the accident and injury attorneys at Sandoval & James can explain your rights and the next steps to take. Initial consultations are completely free.

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