Malfunctioning automobile parts and accessories can cause severe accidents and serious injuries to those inside the vehicle. For this reason, it is important for car owners to watch out for any recalls that may be affecting their vehicle. One such recall that has been grabbing headlines is the Takata airbag recall. Now, the investigations have revealed the actual cause of airbag ruptures. In this post, Best Esq will discuss the results of this investigation.

A brief introduction first

Founded in 1933 in Shiga Japan, Takata Corporation is known for the manufacturing of automotive seat belts, child restrained systems and safety auto parts like airbags. Takata Corporation has been, since the past few years, facing a lot of flak from automotive companies that have claimed that faulty Takata airbag ruptures have led to more than ten deaths and 139 injuries worldwide.

Statistics

The dangers of the faulty airbags and various accident reports from all over the United States have led to a massive ongoing product recall. Since the year 2008, about 36 million vehicles with the faulty airbags have been recalled worldwide and about 24 million vehicles in the United States have been recalled by about 14 car and truck companies. It is estimated, that about 50 million more will be recalled, and Taketa Corporation has to prove the safety of the airbags by 2018 to the NHTSA, or all vehicles will be recalled.

The investigation

Reports from the CNN revealed that the problem lies with the chemical mix that is used in the airbags. According to the CNN reports, the aspirin-sized ammonium nitrate that is used in the metal canisters of the airbags for producing gas that inflates the airbag, are getting destabilized due to moisture present in the air in humid locations.

The investigations that began in February 2015 were conducted by Orbital ATK – a Virginia-based rocket science company involved in making small arms ammunition, rocket propulsion systems, missile controls and warhead fuses. A former acting administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), David Kelly, was appointed as the project manager for the investigation.

According to the investigations carried out by the Orbital ATK team known as the Independent Testing Coalition, the canisters that contain the ammonium nitrate are unable to protect the chemical from the moisture present in humid areas. Humidity and temperature fluctuations are causing the chemical inside the canisters to combust and rupture the inflators violently when the airbags get deployed in a crash, flinging shrapnel at the vehicle occupants.

These investigations that were initiated by 10 of Taketa’s customers like Ford, Mitsubishi, Fiat Chrysler, General Motors, Toyota, Subaru, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and BMW have revealed that there are three factors that account for the airbag explosions and that all the three should be present in combination for the rupture to take place.

Though it was long known that moisture and humidity were a concern for the Takata canisters, the findings by the Independent Testing Coalition has given the investigation a definitive root cause.

If you need assistance with determining if your car can be affected, you can visit the NHTSA website and enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) to learn more.

If you have been injured in a car accident caused by malfunctioning parts, you should immediately consult a Car Accident Lawyer near you.

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