…is contained in this lengthy article.
I think that the best line from the article is the following quote from the former head of Takata’s marketing division:
“They say they’re still looking for the root cause. That’s like O.J. saying he’s going to find Nicole’s killer.”
My 2003 trailblazer may have a Takata, as 02 and 03 trailblazers come up as having them, but there are no recalls for these cars. What is the deal with that?
It looks like the best legal option is to put in an on off switch.
My '07 Dodge Ram has these beauties. No actual recall yet because the replacement parts aren’t available. I’m not too concerned yet. It appears that vehicles from warm, humid areas have the biggest problem. I’m in the northeast, and my truck was originally from Quebec.
Good stuff!! I’m filing this under “unintended consequences”. It will no doubt cause all sorts of over-reaction and many will disconnect their airbags out of fear. Like the fear of being strangled by your seatbelt.
“Like the fear of being strangled by your seatbelt.”
An elderly aunt of mine was one of those–sort of…
Right after she bought her '70s-era Chevy Malibu, she took a steak knife and hacked the seatbelts/shoulder harnesses out of the car.
When I asked her why she did that to her brand-new car, her response was…If my arms were broken in a crash, I wouldn’t be able to open the seatbelt latch, and I could be trapped in a burning car.
I then pointed out that, if her arms were broken, she also wouldn’t be able to open the car’s door, thus leading to the same scenario. And, of course, I also pointed out that the probability of serious injury would be reduced, simply by using those restraints.
She told me to stop being impertinent…
@VDCDriver When my dad bought a new car in 1969, a full size Chevy, he asked me to take out the seat belts since “they were a nuisance”. At the at time his jurisdiction did not have mandatory buckle up laws. I patiently explained that it was illegal to defeat any restraint system on a car (actually true), and persuaded him that a seat belt law was coming soon (which it was the next year) and he better leave them in.
He tucked them into the seat and drove without until the law kicked in. As a dues paying member of the SAE, I was also professionally responsible for not aiding and abetting in a crime.
Coming back to TAKATA, with now over 40 million bags in question, either the car companies or the governments in question will have to take over the company and start producing replacements, since TAKATA by itself is doomed. The 2 logical governments would be the US and Japanese who have the most at stake.
In the Interim, to avoid numerous lawsuits, I would recommend that those cars equipped have their airbags in question legally DISCONNECTED until replacements are available, since airbags are an SRS SUPPLEMENTAL RESTRAINT SYSTEM, legislated only when Americans would not buckle up voluntarily. Seat belts are quite adequate protection; racing cars don’t have airbags!@!!!
It will no doubt cause all sorts of over-reaction and many will disconnect their airbags out of fear. Like the fear of being strangled by your seatbelt
Not quite the same thing. We have actual evidence of people being killed by the bags and there is a very active and extensive recall in process.
@Docnick :
since “they were a nuisance”. At the at time his jurisdiction did not have mandatory buckle up laws. I patiently explained that it was illegal to defeat any restraint system on a car (actually true), and persuaded him that a seat belt law was coming soon (which it was the next year) and he </b:smile: You must be in Canada. The first state to pass a seat belt law was New York, in the mid 1980’s.
So, I know how to figure if any of my cars are part of the recall (none so far). But being on optimist 
I want to know how to figure who is the manufacturer of the airbags on my car. Any sources for this?
Here is one possibility, my car listed there but no recall. That is why I was looking at an airbag on off switch. Why take a chance. Air bag can potentially kill me, repeat air bag can potentially kill me, rather take the chance of no air bag as I did survive a 45 mph head on collision no seat belt.
Busted the windsheild with my head, knee a little sore from headlight switch, and sprained little finger from steering wheel, other guy “but officer the light was green, I turned and he hit me.”
My car was totaled, Shift lever was at the bottom of the steering wheel, Got my deductible back about 5 years later as he had paid off damages. The other driver had no license, no insurance, etc.
@tom418 Yes, my dad was living in Canada and the law was under discussion at the time. Not sure when it actually passed. They had one in Europe and I remember getting a set out of a wreck for my Dutch brother in law, since certain year European cars had to be retrofitted.
@TwinTurbo The fatality rate , 8 over 3 years or so, is miniscule compared to a total traffic fatality rate of around 100,000 for the US during that time and considering the many millions of miles driven
However, airbags should not fail and cause injury; so this will be blown out of all proportion. by the media.
Lawyers love this kind of situation. The GM pickup truck gas tank location was a similar case; some people died during collisions where the tanks ruptures “unnecessarily”.
What bothers me personally is that we keep legally building new cars with the same airbag since a better one is not available at this time. Go figure!!!
Well that was an interesting article. Obviously, the company is going under and the question will be how many of those currently assumed safe, are actually safe ten years from now. Its affecting used and new car sales. I don’t know how you tell who actually made parts without relying on the dealer or recall information. Clearly going to be a long term mess and all caused by poor management decisions.
I think it behooves anyone though owning a ten year old car or buying one to check the recall information or to find out the air bag manufacturer.
Takata air bags or more specifically…“potential time bombs.”
Some manufacturers are still installing them knowing they will have to recall them in 2 years. Chevy is fighting the recall on a number of its trucks. They say they were not manufactured in Mexico so they don’t need to recall them.
Docnick: The exploding GM pickups was featured on NBC Dateline. When they could not get one to explode they loosened the gas caps and installed pyrotechnics to create the desired drama. It’s on-line I think even on Snopes. There were also way fewer exploding Pintos than the public was led to believe.
There are plenty of airbags out there that DON’T have this problem.
Why can’t Takata adapt one of those proven designs.
What am I missing?
It is moisture getting into the patassium or whatever that causes a greater explosion and the problem Sure I have the Takata air bag, sure my car is not on the recall list, consider it a time bomb. Called my local guy about putting in an off switch, no deal, even with the safe car waiver, he sad call the dealership, dealership is no way no how, so sure the chances are small, would be willing to pay to put in a disable switch, so if i disable airbag without a switch will fail test for plate renewal, yet I get into an accident and get killed by shrapnel wtf @circuitsmith you should read the original post link, repeat
@Barkydog Safety inspections in WI?
I don’t believe the risk is as great as some fear. The article states there have been 13 deaths and more than 100 injuries during so many years. Keep in mind that hundreds of airbags deploy each day in collisions.
Each time the recall is expanded the initial focus is on the gulf region of the United States, the study or returned inflators during the first two years of the recall has shown that inflators in the gulf region are at greatest risk of failure.
There is nothing stopping you from unplugging your airbags on your own, it is generally not difficult.
I certainly understand wanting to unplug the airbag but what if then there is an accident and someone is injured or killed because the bag was off? Outside of the personal loss, you have shifted liability from Takata and the car manufacturer to yourself. I just guess rather than shutting them off, I’d make sure they were replaced under recall, especially in the warmer states.
A little off the topic but my insurance agent has always warned against transferring liability especially for people who like to wave pedestrians and other drivers on. Just last week a driver waved a pedestrian across the street but she was hit and killed by another driver who did not see her. The first driver just managed to transfer liability from the second driver to himself by in effect telling the pedestrian it was safe to cross. You just have to be very careful you don’t open yourself up to a lot more risk than a failed airbag.