Automakers to recall another 35 to 40 million Takata airbag inflators
This shit never stops, does it?
Takata admitted to selling a whole bunch (over 100 million) of airbag inflators that might explode in a cloud of shrapnel when exposed to moisture. Not all of its inflators have been recalled, but this week, we're getting a little closer, as the company announced that automakers will recall some 35 to 40 million more airbag inflators.
Reuters reports that Takata confirmed the recall, and the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration just sent out a press release saying much the same. This debacle remains the largest US auto recall ever, positively dwarfing other high-profile recalls like GM's ignition switch or Volkswagen's over-polluting diesels.
Three new automakers will be involved in this round of recalls -- Tesla, Karma Automotive (formerly Fisker) and Jaguar Land Rover. That brings the number of affected companies to 17.
According to Reuters, this expansion will be the final nail in the coffin. After the recalls have been issued by their respective automakers (suppliers cannot issue vehicle recalls), every single Takata-sourced airbag inflator containing ammonium nitrate without a drying agent (allegedly the reason for the explosions) will have been recalled. So there might actually be a light at the end of this dark, sad tunnel.