In addition to the 28.8 million Takata airbag inflators that have already been previously recalled, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has released an amended consent order to recall 35-40 million more between May 2015 and December 2019 (NHTSA,2016).
The recalls are a result of the airbags inflators exploding and killing or severely injuring drivers and passengers. According to the NHTSA, ten deaths and 100 injuries have been recorded in the United States. Takata may have known about the dangers of the airbags as early as 2001, but didn't officially begin the recall process until 2008.
The NHTSA has urged consumers affected by the recall to have their vehicles services so that the airbags can be fixed or replaced. Particularly in humid climates, the airbags are prone to explosion upon even a minor fender-bender collision, and metal or plastic shards can act as shrapnel and cause serious injury to anyone in the driver or front passenger seat.
