Takata Airbag Defects Explained

The Japanese airbag manufacturer, Takata, has been covering up defects in its airbags since 2004. Now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified the cause of the defect. The investigation has sparked another recall of 30-40 million vehicles that could close the company.


The NHTSA conducted 3 independent investigations into the Takata airbag defects. Takata airbags sometimes explode on impact, throwing shrapnel into the passenger compartment. These explosions have killed at least 10 people nationwide. Now the results are in and the NHTSA has an answer.

Takata airbags use ammonium nitrate as a “propellant.” A controlled explosion pushes gas into the airbag causing it to inflate in a car crash. Ammonium nitrate is cheap, but volatile. It is most often used in large-scale mining applications, not small controlled blasts. Takata engineers worked to stabilize the chemical for years, eventually adding a drying agent.

But time, temperature changes, and high humidity breaks down that drying agent, leaving it unable to do its job. Without the stabilizing agent, the ammonium nitrate explodes, ripping apart the airbag and the metal inflator holding it. To see the defect in action, check out the video from the NHTSA on the New York Times website.
Based on this new information, the NHTSA and Takata have agreed to recall 35-40 million more inflators between May 2016 and December 2019. Together with the recalls in 2015, that's the largest automotive recall in history. In a press release, Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said:

“Today’s action is a significant step in the U.S. Department of Transportation’s aggressive oversight of Takata on behalf of drivers and passengers across America. . . . The acceleration of this recall is based on scientific evidence and will protect all Americans from air bag inflators that may become unsafe.”

Industry experts are now asking a different question: whether Takata will survive the cost of recalls. Even though automotive dealerships will be responsible for actually making the repairs, Takata will be the one paying the bill. The company's cash reserves have already shrunk by 40% because of the airbag defect, including $189 million in costs and settlements with consumers injured by the devices. That's 4 years' profits. According to the New York Times:

“It’s very clear that the company cannot pay all the expenses at this point,” said Koji Endo, a car industry analyst at Advanced Research Japan. “The question is: Is there a player that wants to save Takata?”

Bankruptcy doesn't help the consumers seeking compensation for injuries caused by the defect. They will need an experienced lemon law lawyer, like Dani K. Liblang of The Liblang Law Firm, P.C., in Birmingham, Michigan, to protect their claims and get the compensation they need. If you have been injured because of an automotive defect, contact the Liblang Law Firm, P.C., today for a free consultation.