Takata recalls another 2.7M air bags

Takata Corp. is expanding its recall to include another 2.7 million air bag inflators in the United States that may be prone to rupturing, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced Tuesday.

The latest recall applies to Takata air bags that use calcium sulfate as a desiccant, which is a chemical drying agent meant to make the air bags safer.

The NHTSA said that the Japanese auto parts company has determined, however, that those air bags may also explode “after long-term exposure to moderate absolute humidity, temperatures, and temperature cycling.”

{mosads}Takata’s nitrate-based air bags, which don’t use the chemical additive, have been under recall since they were linked to multiple fatalities and injuries, leading to the largest auto recall in history.  The defective air bags can explode with too much force and spray shrapnel into the vehicle.

The expanded recall comes one day after Honda confirmed the 12th U.S. death — and 17th worldwide — tied to a faulty Takata air bag.

“For years now, Takata has told the public that their line of air bag inflators with moisture absorbent was safe. This recall now raises serious questions about the threat posed by all of Takata’s ammonium nitrate-based airbags,” said Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), ranking member on the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee.

“If even more are found to be defective, it will take us from the biggest recall ever to something that could become mindboggling. That’s why government regulators need to step up the pace of figuring out whether all remaining Takata airbag inflators are safe.”

About 68 million Takata inflators are already scheduled to be recalled through 2019.