Up to 19 Different Car Manufacturers Used Defective Airbags!

Airbags found on both the driver’s side and the passenger’s side have been deemed defective by the NHTSA.  Major parts used to assemble the airbags were provided by Japanese Company Takata. The airbags were mostly installed in cars with model years from 2002 to 2015.

Surprisingly, the problem did not come from a failure for the airbag to deploy… Instead, many of the Takata airbags were deploying explosively! There have already been a reported 11 deaths and 180 injuries due to these airbags.

Normally, an airbag is supposed to inflate on impact, to provide a pillow to lessen the impact in a crash. The bag itself is usually tucked into the steering wheel or within another compartment in the vehicle. Upon impact, a special sensor communicates with the bag and tells the bag to inflate.  This triggers the inflation system inside the bag using a chemical reaction produced by hot nitrogen gas.

What went wrong? Metal shards from the airbag’s inflator were being launched from the airbag with explosive force. These flying metal pieces act are similar to shrapnel from a military grenade and would sometimes fly into the occupants! The malfunction occurs when the airbag’s inflator ruptures during a crash. NHTSA has determined the cause to be the chemical propellant used in the airbag. It is estimated that this inflator recall will affect up to 40 million vehicles in the United States and the total number of airbags affected is closer to 65 million!

Remember, you can visit https://www.safercar.gov to check out the status of your vehicle and see if a recall affects you! If you are injured due to a defective airbag it is imperative that you know your rights and how to protect yourself to ensure that your medical bills get paid. Druckman & Hernandez offers FREE case evaluations and consultations. You can set up an appointment to speak with an attorney by contacting us 24/7 at 908-353-5850.