Almost 2.5 million U.S. vehicles with defective air bag inflators from Takata Corporation (TYO:7312) are being recalled by six automakers, according to Reuters based on documents submitted to government regulators.
The stock price of Takata Corporation declined 5% to ¥428.00 per share in Tokyo on June 2.
Last month, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation expanded and accelerated the recall of Takata airbag inflators. The agency made the decision after confirming the main reason behind the propensity of the inflators to explode.
At least ten people were killed and more than 100 were injured in the United States in connection with the explosion of Takata inflators. The agency required Takata to perform a series of safety defect decisions to support automakers’ recall campaigns of an additional 35 million to 40 million inflators until 2019. That number is in addition to the 28.8 million inflators that were already recalled.
New recalls
Based on the latest documents submitted to the NHTSA, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) is recalling 1.9 million vehicles and Volkswagen AG (ETR:VOW3) is recalling 217,000 vehicles.
Daimler AG (OTCMKTS:DDAIF) Mercedes-Benz USA is recalling 200,000 vehicles and Bayerische Motoren Worke (ETR:BMW) is recalling 92,000 vehicles.
Tata Motors’ Jaguar Land Rover is recalling 54,000 vehicles, and Daimler Vans USA 5,100 vehicles.
On Thursday, NHTSA spokesman Bryan Thomas said, “The science clearly shows that these inflators become unsafe over time, faster when exposed to humidity and variations of temperature.”
The latest recalls came a after Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) recalled almost 1.9 million vehicles related to Takata airbag inflators.
Since last week alone, 15 automakers already recalled 16.4 million vehicles in the United States.
GM continues to test and monitor Takata inflators in its vehicles
In a statement, GM said the recall involves certain 2007-2011 full-size trucks and SUVs with passenger-side front Takata airbag inflators.
The automaker believed that its 2007-2011 trucks and SUVs “do not pose unreasonable safety risks at this time” based on the fact that there were no inflator ruptures during an estimated 44,000 crash deployments and analysis of parts returned from the field.
Having no inflator explosions “can be explained by the unique Takata inflator made for GM’s vehicles and feature unique to GM trucks and SUVs, according to the automaker.
According to GM, it will continue to test and monitor the Takata inflators in its vehicles. The company initiated a third-party environmental conditioning study that stimulate long-term temperature cycling to continues assessing inflator aging and estimate likely service life.
General Motors is establishing a part return program that will collect and CT scan Takata inflators recovered from its vehicles, primarily from high absolute humidity areas believed to pose the highest risks.
GM also continues its close monitoring and study of the performance of Takata airbag inflators in its vehicles in the field.
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