Exploding Auto Airbag Risk Arises Amid Holiday Travel Season

Federal safety officials say is it is 'imperative' that all vehicle owners check for open Takata recalls, and get the repair done as soon as possible.

During the holiday season, nearly 102 million Americans are expected to hit the roads to see friends and family.

As gas prices fall, the American Automobile Association said there will be an additional 2 million drivers out there compared to 2021.

And some of them could be riding with a time bomb in their cars.

Federal safety officials and FCA US, a subsidiary of Stellantis  (STLA) - Get Free Report, are warning motorists that vehicles equipped with Takata airbags are still killing and injuring people after all these years. 

Takata, a Japanese automotive parts company, used an ammonium-nitrate-based propellant to create a small explosion that fills the airbag quickly during a crash.

Takata air-bag inflators' chemical properties may deteriorate over time, particularly if exposed to hot, humid climates.

Since 2009, at least 33 people worldwide, including 24 in the United States, have been killed by the exploding airbags.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration confirmed another Takata rupture death on Dec. 19, bringing the total of number of Takata fatalities confirmed this year to five.

NHTSA Says its 'Imperative' Owners Check Airbags

This third fatality was confirmed this year in a Fiat Chrysler sedan

"It is imperative that ALL vehicle owners check now for open Takata recalls, and get the repair done as soon as possible if their vehicle is under recall," the agency said in a statement. 

Stellantis said last month that two deaths were caused by the air bags and suspected the inflators had caused another. The company confirmed the third death on Dec. 19 and "strongly reiterated" its previous warning and have their vehicles repair.

“This holiday season, don’t let yourself or someone you love be at risk of dying or being seriously injured because of a defective, recalled Takata air bag. These repairs are absolutely free and could save your life,” NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said in a statement. “Air bag ruptures have also cost people their eyesight and left them with disfiguring facial injuries."

Carlson added that "the older a defective air bag inflator gets, the more dangerous it becomes. So please, get your air bag replaced now for your sake, and for the sake of those who love you.” 

Even minor crashes can result in exploding Takata air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries. Older model year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk, as the age of the air bag is one of the contributing factors.

“Time is a critical element here because the risk increases with each day these air-bag inflators go unreplaced,” Tom McCarthy, global head of Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance at Stellantis, said a statement. “We have the parts, and the service is free. We will provide alternative transportation, also free, to help people get to and from our dealerships, as needed.”

Company Sent 'Urgent Notifications' to Owner

FCA US said the vehicle’s owner involved in the latest incident had inquired about the driver-side air-bag recall in 2018, but then declined an opportunity to schedule the free service at a dealership.

The company said it continued to send urgent notifications to this owner through 2022, adding to a total of 114 outreach attempts over a seven-year period.

In July, the owner loaned the vehicle to a family member who was subsequently killed in a crash when the driver-side air bag ruptured on deployment.

"The company extends its deepest sympathies to the families and friends of those affected by the three confirmed Takata-related fatalities," FCA US said. 

Since the recall was launched, the company said, "we have reached out to those affected nearly 210 million times using standard and first-class mail, courier service, e-mail, text messages, phone calls and home visits."

The company urged motorists to stop driving Dodge Magnum wagons, Dodge Challenger and Charger muscle cars and Chrysler 300 sedans from the 2005 through 2010 model years.

“We understand the holiday season is a busy time,” McCarthy added. “But nothing is more precious than family and friends who may also be exposed to danger by further delaying service which, again, is free.”

The company said this kind of air bag have not been used in FCA US vehicle production since 2016.

'Do Not Drive' Order 

Vehicle owners who prefer talking to the manufacturer directly can call the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Takata Call Center at 833-585-0144 or go to their website.

NTHSA said on Nov. 17 that it had issued a warning after one person was killed following a crash in a 2006 Ford Ranger where the Takata driver’s side air bag inflator ruptured.

The vehicle was already under a "do not drive" warning, the agency said

Vehicles made by 19 different automakers have been recalled to replace frontal airbags on the driver’s side or passenger’s side, or both in what NHTSA called “the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history.” 

Takata admitted that its Mexican subsidiary had mishandled the manufacture of explosive propellants and improperly stored chemicals used in the airbags.

The company filed for bankruptcy in 2017 and was acquired by Key Safety Systems.

In 2017, Takata agreed to plead guilty to wire fraud and pay a total of $1 billion in criminal penalties stemming from what the U.S. Department of Justice called the company’s fraudulent conduct in relation to sales of defective airbag inflators.

Three Takata executives were also charged with wire fraud and conspiracy.