NHTSA Launches Fresh Probe Into 30 M Cars With Suspect Takata Airbag Inflators
In a move that might feel like a revisit to an old horror movie, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a brand‑new investigation targeting roughly 30 million U.S. vehicles that could still be carrying defective Takata airbag inflators. The agency says the probe is still under wraps, but the big news is that it’s covering every major automaker from the 2001‑2019 era. That means your Honda, your Toyota, your Ferrari, maybe even your Tesla are on the radar.
Who’s In the Spotlight?
- Honda Motor
- Ford Motor
- Toyota Motor
- General Motors
- Nissan Motor
- Subaru
- Tesla
- Ferrari
- Mazda
- Daimler
- BMW Chrysler (now part of Stellantis)
- Porsche Cars
- Jaguar Land Rover
- Plus a handful of others that didn’t make the list public yet
When the agency first dropped the bomb on the industry, the automakers didn’t swoop in with “we’re on it” – many either stayed quiet or declined to give a full reply. NHTSA’s own spokesperson stayed tight‑lipped too. Looks like they’re hoping the official announcement coming Monday will do the heavy lifting.
Why the Sizzle?
Take a quick trip back in time: the world’s biggest auto safety recall ever saw more than 67 million Takata airbag inflators pulled out of U.S. cars, and a whopping 100 million worldwide. Why? Some of those inflators can explode and shoot metal shards—ideas straight out of a sci‑fi nightmare. According to NHTSA, the culprit is the propellant inside the inflators. Over years of ups‑and‑downs in temperature and humidity, the chemistry breaks down, turning a harmless device into a plausible threat.
Deadly History
Even with all the rub, the memo says there have been at least 28 deaths worldwide linked to these faulty inflators, including 19 in the U.S. and more than 400 injuries. In the U.S. alone, 16 fatalities were tied to Honda cars, two to Ford, and another to a BMW. The thread goes a few countries over too—those pesky “truth untangles” headlines in Malaysia, Brazil, and Mexico.
Desiccant‑Loaded Parts?
Now the new investigation zeroes in on inflators that sport a “desiccant” or drying agent. Unlike the bomb‑marked counterparts that have been recalled, these possibly have a safety net: no reports of on‑road ruptures yet. Nevertheless, the NHTSA isn’t throwing away the idea that they could still be a future risk. “No present safety risk has been identified, but we need to look closer at the long‑term safety of desiccated inflators,” the agency told Reuters.
What Comes Next?
Think of it as the next episode in a binge‑worthy series. The agency is slated to dig deep into how Takata made these parts, perform surveys on inflators currently in the field, and likely hammer out new safety measures or recalls. It’s also a reminder that all the airbag “mind‑blowing” bugs humanity has ever had left a legacy that might pop up—literally—years later.
Meanwhile, if you’re driving a car from the early 2000s to late 2010s, you might want to double‑check that your spare, if any, or inbound recall status. Driving anxious is one thing, driving out of an old mechanical catch‑up is another. And if your friend pops a question about whether a newer model might need a check, just tell them, “We all hope for the best, but sometimes old jokes stick around.”
