More models on airbag list

Extra vehicles have been added to the list of call-backs for faulty Takata airbags, which now total about 60 million units globally. In the US, around 5.63 million Dodges and Rams have been recalled in the US along with almost three Toyotas and about 1.3m Fords for potentially defective inflators and propellant devices. It was first thought propellants were being mishandled and improperly stored causing the inflators to burst. Takata then pointed to humid weather before. Now Reuters has reported the Japanese corporation has allegedly admitted bad welding and rust may be to blame and even a piece of chewing gum dropped into an inflator. The documents the news agency claims to have access to are part of an investigation due to go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) in the US.

ACTION IN STATES AS SHARES TUMBLE

Takata shares have lost almost half their value in the past year as the automotive industry has scrambled to replace more than 23 million of the company’s airbag inflators, which can deploy with too much force and spray plastic and metal at car passengers. Chemical propellant used in the inflators appears to be one of many factors contributing to the air bag ruptures linked to at least eight deaths and 130 injuries, says Takata. In July, the company told the NHTSA that it continues to supply airbags with ammonium nitrate propellant to Volkswagen and Tesla, reports Bloomberg. The agency has sent letters to those manufacturers, as well as Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar Land Rover, Suzuki, Volvo Trucks and Spartan Motors because Takata had identified them as companies it supplied with ammonium nitrate inflators. The NHTSA has asked the manufacturers whether they are considering and what challenges they will face if the agency ordered a wider scope for the call-backs. The regulator gave the companies 21 days to respond. The agency has so far confirmed Takata’s main findings related to the root cause behind the airbag failures – that the defect may be related to age, prolonged exposure to high humidity and moisture altering the chemical makeup of the ammonium nitrate inflator propellant. It plans to hold a public hearing this fall to present its findings on the cause of the failures and how it plans to proceed.

LIST OF MODELS AFFECTED

The models affected by the airbag scandal in the US are given below. In addition, the NHTSA says systems fitted into certain models made by Volkswagen and Tesla Motors may also be affected. Acura: 2002-03 TL, 2003 CL, 2003-06 MDX, 2005 RL. BMW: 2000-06 3 Series sedan, wagon, coupe and convertible, 2001-06 M3 coupe and convertible, 2002-03 5 Series and M5, 2003-04 X5. Chevrolet: 2007-08 Chevrolet Silverado HD. Chrysler: 2005-10 Chrysler 300, 2007-08 Aspen. Daimler: 2006-08 Dodge Sprinter 2500 and 3500, 2006-08 Freightliner Sprinter 2500 and 3500. Dodge & Ram: 2003-08 Dodge Ram 1500, 2005-10 Charger and Magnum; 2005-11 Dakota, 2004-08 Durango, 2003-09 Ram 2500 and 3500, 2008-10 Challenger, and Ram 4500 and 5500. Ford: 2004-06 Ranger, 2005-06 GT, 2005-14 Mustang. General Motors: 2007-08 GMC Sierra HD. Honda: 2001-07 four-cylinder Accord, 2001-02 V6 Accord, 2001-05 Civic, 2002-06 CR-V, 2002-04 Odyssey, 2003-05 Civic Hybrid, 2003-11 Element, 2003-08 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline. Infiniti: 2002-04 I30/I35, 2002-03 QX4, 2003-05 FX35/FX45, 2006 Infiniti M35/M45. Lexus: 2002-07 SC430. Mazda: 2003-08 Mazda 6, 2006-07 Mazdaspeed 6, 2004-08 RX-8, 2004-05 MPV, 2004-06 B series. Mitsubishi: 2004–06 Lancer and Evolution, 2006-10 Raider. Nissan: 2002-03 Maxima, 2002-04 Pathfinder, 2002-06 Nissan Sentra. Pontiac: 2003-07 Vibe. Saab: 2005 9-2X. Subaru: 2003-05 Baja, Legacy and Outback, 2004-05 Impreza, WRX and WRX STI Toyota: 2002-07 Sequoia, 2003-07 Corolla and Corolla Matrix, 2003-06 Tundra, 2004-05 RAV4.