Product Recall: Airbags
Despite record fines to GM, Hyundai and Toyota, more defective automobile parts surface, usually after causing horrific injuries. The most recent recall affects, which started with 4000 cars and is now over 14 million, involve automobiles with Takata air bags.
The problem with the airbags are twofold: First, some airbags employ with such force that it blasts through the metal container in which it is housed causing shrapnel to be shot at the occupant of the car resulting in severe facial and body injuries. The second issue is that some airbags deploy with such excessive force that it causes severe injuries upon impact including quadriplegia when the head is struck, snaps back, and severs the spinal column.
The NHTSA commenced regional, rather than national recalls of the airbags, which is illogical. There is no reason to believe that cars in one region are more prone to this defect than anywhere else in the country. The original recall was only 4000 cars.
At senate hearings, graphic testimony was given. Air Force Lieutenant Stephanie Erdman of Destin Florida testified how when her airbag deployed, shrapnel shot through the airbag and lodged in her face blinding her in her right eye, punctured and fractured her right nasal bone, and embedded in her sinuses. A Florida mother testified to having just wished her husband a happy Father’s Day when her airbag deployed with excessive force rendering her a quadriplegic. Six deaths have already been attributed to defective airbags. As one senator stated, the company appeared to be more interested in fighting the litigation one case at a time than addressing the safety concern that could cause serious injury to many.
On January 30, 2015, the US Senate released a statement saying that there are now actually 12 million vehicles involved, and it requested that the NHTSA step up its investigation of the airbag defects and expedite the recall of the cars which employ these airbags. The senate further stated that letting the industry investigate the issue was akin to “letting the fox guard the henhouse”. Since that time, the NHTSA has fined Takata Corporation $14,000 per day for failing to “fully cooperate” with its investigation. By the end of February, 2015, Honda agreed to recall 14.3 million cars. The replacement inflators to fix the airbags, however, are being manufactured by Takata at a rate of 450,000 per month, so it will take years to address the cars currently identified.
The recall list to date is listed below. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions about the recall.
BMW: 627,615 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2000 – 2005 3 Series Sedan
2000 – 2006 3 Series Coupe
2000 – 2005 3 Series Sports Wagon
2000 – 2006 3 Series Convertible
2001 – 2006 M3 Coupe
2001 – 2006 M3 Convertible
Chrysler: 371,309 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2008 Dodge Ram 1500
2005 – 2008 Dodge Ram 2500
2006 – 2008 Dodge Ram 3500
2006 – 2008 Dodge Ram 4500
2008 – Dodge Ram 5500
2005 – 2008 Dodge Durango
2005 – 2008 Dodge Dakota
2005 – 2008 Chrysler 300
2007 – 2008 Chrysler Aspen
Ford: 58,669 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2004 – Ranger
2005 – 2006 GT
2005 – 2007 Mustang
General Motors: undetermined total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2005 Pontiac Vibe
2005 – Saab 9-2X
Honda: 5.4M total number of potentially affected vehicles
2001 – 2007 Honda Accord
2001-2002 Honda Accord with V6 engines
2001 – 2005 Honda Civic
2002 – 2006 Honda CR-V
2003 – 2011 Honda Element
2002 – 2004 Honda Odyssey
2003 – 2007 Honda Pilot
2006 – Honda Ridgeline
2003 – 2006 Acura MDX
2002 – 2003 Acura TL/CL
2005 – Acura RL
Nissan: 694,626 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2001 – 2003 Nissan Maxima
2001 – 2003 Nissan Pathfinder
2002 – 2003 Nissan Sentra
2001 – 2003 Infiniti I30/I35
2002 – 2003 Infiniti QX4
2003 – Infiniti FX
Mazda: 64,872 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2007 Mazda6
2006 – 2007 MazdaSpeed6
2004 – 2008 Mazda RX-8
2004 – 2005 MPV
2004 – B-Series Truck
Mitsubishi: 11,985 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2004 – 2005 Lancer
2006 – 2007 Raider
Subaru: 17,516 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2005 Baja
2003 – 2005 Legacy
2003 – 2005 Outback
2004 – 2005 Impreza
Toyota: 877,000 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2002 – 2005 Lexus SC
2002 – 2005 Toyota Corolla
2003 – 2005 Toyota Matrix
2002 – 2005 Toyota Sequoia
2003 – 2005 Toyota Tundra
Michael K. Gillis, Esq.
GILLIS & BIKOFSKY, P.C.
1150 Walnut Street
Newton, MA 02461
Phone: 617-244-4300
Fax: 617-964-0862
E-mail: mgillis@gillisandbikofsky.com