Takata airbag recall expanded to newer vehicles
On behalf of Steven Crell of Steve Crell Law posted in Personal Injury on Wednesday, February 10, 2016.
Honda owners in Indiana may be receiving recall notices concerning their vehicles later this year. The Japanese car maker announced on Feb. 3 that a further 2.2 million of its vehicles are going to be recalled because they contain airbags manufactured by Takata that may be faulty. The announcement came after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration informed auto makers that even newer cars, pickup trucks and SUVs equipped with Takata airbags could pose a threat to vehicle occupants.
Problems with Takata airbags have been linked with numerous injuries and nine deaths around the country, and more than 20 million vehicles had already been recalled when Honda made its announcement. It was initially thought that the problem of exploding airbags showering drivers and passengers with debris was limited to older vehicles, but NHTSA say that Takata has informed it that even new cars could be affected.
Honda models that will be recalled include the CR-V, CR-Z, Ridgeline, Fit and Insight, and the Acura models involved include the TL, RL, ZDX, ILX and RDX. Vehicles made between 2007 and 2016 will be recalled, and the Honda announcement indicates that many of the affected cars and SUVs are still in dealer inventories. A NHTSA representative said that the agency expects the other 11 auto manufacturers using Takata airbags to make similar announcements in the coming weeks.
Vehicle owners may be alarmed to learn that millions of cars are still being recalled in connection with a problem that was known about many months ago. Consumers expect the products they use to be effective and safe, and they may pursue civil remedies when defective products cause them injury, loss or damage. However, this type of product liability lawsuit can be complex and costly, and attorneys hoping to avoid the expense of a protracted court case may seek to reach agreements by making settlement presentations to the insurance companies or product manufacturers involved.
