Despite Known Risks, Defective Takata Airbags are Still Being Installed

Since 2008, serious problems with Takata airbags have become a major concern when it comes to vehicle safety.

Takata Airbags were installed in vehicles made by many different car manufacturers. The airbags, unfortunately, are defective and they have been linked to 11 fatalities as well as linked to hundreds of serious injuries.

The airbags essentially explode in an uncontrolled and forceful explosion, sending metal fragments flying around the car and into drivers and passengers. The problem is caused by instability of the propellant that inflates the airbag which is exacerbated by moisture and heat.

Because the airbags are so dangerous and because they were installed in so many vehicles, NY Daily News indicates that the ongoing recall of Takata airbags was the worst of the many recalls that have impacted the auto industry over the past several years.  Yet, even as millions of cars have already been recalled because of the risk the airbags present, Takata airbags are unbelievably still being installed into new cars.

The fact that deadly exploding airbags are being put into new vehicles purchased by unsuspecting consumers shows just how big of a risk car buyers face that they will accidentally purchase a car with a major problem. Car buyers cannot count on even brand new vehicles to be reasonably safe as long as car parts with known defects are still being utilized.

If a car owner buys a car and the vehicle owner faces problems with car parts, that car owner must protect himself by asserting his rights under consumer protection laws such as the lemon law. An Orange County attorney can provide assistance in determining what, if any, consumer protection laws can provide recourse for a consumer who has purchased a defective car.

The NHTSA is Allowing the Installation to Continue

Some car manufacturers are still installing the defective airbags because they are allowed to do so as a result of a special rule made by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). NHTSA is permitting the continued installation of defective Takata airbags until the supply of newer and safer airbags can be replenished.

More than 69 million vehicles already on the road are impacted by defective Takata airbags, with drivers of many of these vehicles in great danger of life-threatening problems if they get into a collision and have not gotten repairs made on their vehicle. Since many millions of people who have cars with Takata airbags have already had repairs made or are waiting for repairs, there are simply not enough safe parts to go around for everyone. Cars still need to be made and sold, so the existing supply of unsafe airbags is still being installed.

Every car buyer should be aware that risks will sometimes be taken even with people’s lives at stake. You cannot ever assume that a car you buy is going to be safe or that your best interests were the focus of the manufacturer when the vehicle was designed. You should be aware of the very real risk of serious problems when you buy a car, and you should understand your rights under California’s lemon law in case there are any issues.