WASHINGTON — U.S. auto security investigators have opened a brand new probe into 30 million autos constructed by almost two dozen automakers with doubtlessly faulty Takata airbag inflators, a authorities doc seen by Reuters on Sunday confirmed.
The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration on Friday opened an engineering evaluation into an estimated 30 million U.S. autos from the 2001 by way of 2019 mannequin years. Automakers have been alerted to the investigation, which isn’t but public.
The brand new investigation consists of autos assembled by Honda, Ford, Toyota, Basic Motors, Subaru, Tesla, Ferrari, Nissan, Mazda, Daimler, BMW, Chrysler (now a part of Stellantis), Porsche, Jaguar Land Rover (owned by Tata Motors) and others.
The automakers on Sunday both declined to remark earlier than NHTSA’s anticipated public announcement on Monday, or didn’t instantly reply to requests for remark. NHTSA declined to remark.
The 30 million autos embody each autos that had the inflators put in after they have been manufactured in addition to some inflators that have been utilized in prior recall repairs, NHTSA stated within the doc.
Over the past decade, greater than 67 million Takata airbag inflators have been recalled in the USA — and greater than 100 million worldwide — within the greatest auto security callback in historical past as a result of inflators can ship lethal metallic fragments flying in uncommon cases. Takata, following a chapter reorganization, offered its property to Key Security Techniques, which is now a part of Chinese language-owned Joyson Security Techniques.
There have been at the very least 28 identified deaths worldwide, together with 19 within the U.S. tied to defective Takata inflators and greater than 400 accidents.
The 30 million autos which might be a part of the brand new investigation have inflators with a “desiccant” or drying agent. In line with the doc, NHTSA stated there have been no reported ruptures of autos on the roads with air bag inflators with the drying agent.
“Whereas no current security danger has been recognized, additional work is required to guage the longer term danger of non-recalled desiccated inflators,” NHTSA stated in opening its engineering evaluation seen by Reuters. “Additional research is required to evaluate the long-term security of desiccated inflators.”
Such an evaluation by NHTSA can ulimately result in a security recall, or a case will be closed with no additional motion wanted from automakers.
NHTSA has stated the reason for the inflator explosions tied to the recall of 67 million inflators that may emit lethal fragments is propellant breaking down after long-term publicity to excessive temperature fluctuations and humidity. The company has required all comparable Takata with no drying agent to be recalled.
Within the U.S., 17 deaths in Honda autos have been reported, two in Ford autos and one in a BMW, whereas 9 different Honda deaths occurred in Malaysia, Brazil and Mexico.
NHTSA didn’t instantly launch a breakdown of what number of autos per producer are lined by the probe.
The protection company stated the investigation “would require intensive data on Takata manufacturing processes and surveys of inflators within the area.”
Earlier this 12 months, NHTSA stated of the 67 million recalled inflators, roughly 50 million have been repaired or are in any other case accounted for.