Even after an automaker goes under, its vehicles are capable of being recalled. That's the case for two former General Motors brands -- Saturn and Saab -- and it's all thanks to the ever-growing Takata debacle.
The General is recalling approximately 200,000 vehicles in North America to replace driver-side airbag inflators that might explode in a cloud of shrapnel. This is part of the latest expansion of Takata's recall, which affects some 5 million vehicles.
This recall covers three specific vehicles -- the 2003-2011 Saab 9-3, the 2010-2011 Saab 9-5 and the 2008-2009 Saturn Astra. There have been no injuries linked to Takata-sourced inflators in these brands. However, 10 deaths have been linked to Takata parts in Honda and Ford vehicles.
Takata itself cannot technically coerce automakers to recall vehicles. The company can only pass on its findings to automakers, which must recall its own vehicles individually. Thus far, both foreign and domestic automakers have issued recalls related to these defective parts.