The latest Takata incident involved the side-image airbag in a 2015 Volkswagen Tiguan
Federal safety officials plan to shine a spotlight on more automakers that installed Takata airbags in their vehicles. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration contacted seven more automakers about their use of Takata airbags and their plans for dealing with them.
On Sept. 22, NHTSA sent letters to Volkswagen AG, Tesla Motors Inc., Daimler AG’s Mercedes-Benz unit, Jaguar Land Rover, Suzuki Motor Corp., Volvo Trucks and Spartan Motors, asking questions about the Takata inflators they use.
The letters, which the agency released last Friday, ask each of the makers how many vehicles have Takata airbag inflators, and whether they are considering recalls. The airbags, which explode with too much force sending metal shrapnel into the cabin of the vehicle, have caused at least eight deaths and more than 100 injuries.
The initial recall covered nearly 20 million vehicles, but it’s now expected that number will increase, perhaps significantly, depending upon the answers they get from this inquiry. Additionally, the agency is holding an Oct. 22 public hearing as it moves to oversee the recall.
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The hearing is designed, in part, to help determine a best course of action for getting the existing vehicles recalled fixed more quickly. Right now, each automaker is scrambling to get replacement airbag inflators/packages for their vehicles.
Takata has doubled its output and engaged competitors to help get the replacement kits produced. However, even under the best-case scenario it was going to take more than two years to get all of the replacement kits into the affected vehicles.
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The original 10 companies involved the recall last year included: Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co, Honda Motor Co., Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co., BMW AG, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, Mazda Motor Corp., Mitsubishi and Subaru Motors USA. An 11th maker, Daimler Trucks North America, was added this year.
However, now that the scope may be changing. The agency said last month it was investigating a Takata airbag explosion in a 2015 VW Tiguan. The automaker said the incident was unrelated to the initial Takata problem because it was a side impact airbag. Takata officials second VW’s assessment, saying last month that the issues were unrelated.
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However, NHTSA isn’t so sure, hence the expanded investigation. The Tiguan incident triggered a fourth “special order” from the agency demanding additional documents from Takata. The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Detroit is conducting a criminal investigation into Takata’s handling of recall issues.