More vehicles are being recalled due to defective Takata air bags. Mazda is recalling 270,000 vehicles over fears the air bag could explode during a crash, which could injure or kill the vehicle’s occupants. Some California motorists may be affected by this action.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 37 million U.S. vehicles have already been recalled due to the faulty air bags. A propellant used to inflate the air bags can degrade over time when subjected to climates with high humidity. As a result, the air bag can inflate with too much force and shoot metal shrapnel into the passenger cabin. The latest Mazda recall affects the 2004 MPV, the 2003 to 2008 Mazda 6 and the 2006 and 2007 Mazdaspeed 6. The 2005 and 2006 MPV is also being recalled if it was sold in one of 35 U.S. states and territories considered to have humid conditions.
Mazda had previously recalled the same vehicles due to the same issue. However, because of a parts shortage, the automaker was forced to replace the faulty air bags with new air bags that had the same design flaw, which reset the clock on any potential humidity-related degradation. During this recall, technicians will install air bags with a new design.
Defective air bags and other auto parts can cause serious injuries. Victims may wish to retain a Costa Mesa defective product attorney to help them take legal action against the responsible parties. These could include both the manufacturer and dealer in some cases.
Source: CNET, “Mazda is recalling 270K older cars to replace Takata airbags“, Jake Holmes, July 6, 2018
