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Ford Expanding Its Takata Airbag Recall

By Admin on June 02, 2015 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Last month, we wrote about Takata's massive recall of its airbags. Now the recall is getting bigger and bigger.

Here is what you need to know:

Airbag Defects

Takata is the world's second largest supplier of airbags.

For years, many suspected that Takata's airbags were defective when people got hurt by flying shrapnel and debris during airbag deployments. Car manufacturers have recalled their cars for Takata airbag defects as early back as in 2008. It wasn't until this year that Takata has finally admitted that its airbags are defective.

The problem is with the propellant used to make the airbags inflate. Over time, high humidity and changes in temperature can degrade the propellant causing overaggressive combustions. So far, there have six documented cases of deaths and 100 injuries caused by the defect.

Takata's Recall

Takata is currently still trying to figure out all the cars that may be affected by this recall. The company estimates that 34 million cars in the U.S. and 52 million cars worldwide carry the defective airbags.

Ford's Recall Expansion

Late last year, Ford recalled 500,000 Mustangs and GTs. However, since Takata announced its recall, Ford is expanding its recall to include 500,000 more Mustangs and GTs to replace the defective Takata airbags. This recall now includes 2005-2014 Mustangs and 2005-2006 GTs.

Other car manufacturers who have issued recalls include BMW, Chrysler, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Toyota, and Mitsubishi.

If your car is included in these recalls, you should be receiving notification letters from your car manufacturers shortly. If you haven't received any letters, you can search for any recalls on your car on SaferCar.gov by entering your vehicle's 17 digit VIN number.

Repairs

If your car is recalled, dealerships will replace your airbags for free. However, the supply of available replacement airbags is currently dwarfed by the demand. Takata and Autoliv, the world's largest supplier of airbags, are struggling to make enough airbags to cover all the recalled cars. So, it may take a while for your airbag to be replaced.

If you've been injured by flying shrapnel from your airbag, consult with an experienced personal injury attorney.

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