Safety Agency Demands Expansion Of National Air Bag Recall
Follow CBSMIAMI.COM: Facebook | Twitter
MIAMI (CBSMiami/AP) — U.S. safety regulators aren't happy with how Takata Corp. and automakers have limited their scope of recalls for faulty air bags equipped with inflators that can erupt and send metal fragments into the passenger compartment.
According to NHTSA, Takata learned about the issue possibly as early as 2004 but didn't notify them until 2008.
NHTSA hosted a national conference call with the media Tuesday evening to pressure Takata into doing the right thing.
"Takata's initial response is an unwillingness to move forward and frankly one of the reasons we are talking to all of you today is because I believe everyone needs to understand that Takata needs to act," said NHTSA Deputy Director David Friedman during the call.
The recalls had been limited to areas along the Gulf Coast with high humidity. But now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) wants the recall expanded after new incidents have cropped up elsewhere.
CLICK HERE To Watch Summer Knowles' Report
The owner of a 2007 Ford Mustang recently complained to the government about suffering an injury when an air bag malfunctioned in North Carolina. The safety agency said if Takata and automakers don't agree to the recall quickly, it will use its legal powers to make sure the inflators are recalled.
Miami Gardens resident Claribel Nunez Jane said the device meant to save her life nearly ended it.
"I was drowning in my own blood," she said.
NHTSA said at least five deaths have been linked to the faulty air bags and nearly 8 million vehicles are affected.
"We now know that millions of vehicles must be recalled to address defective Takata air bags and our aggressive investigation is far from over," NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman said in a statement.
The safety agency has been under intense pressure from lawmakers to seek an expansion of the recalls beyond the Gulf Coast states, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and several other U.S. territories. Friedman and others have been summoned to testify before a Senate committee on Thursday.
Takata has said that in areas of high humidity, airborne moisture can cause the air bag propellant to burn faster than designed, causing the problem.
NHTSA's demand for a national recall does not cover passenger side air bags, at least not yet. The agency says it has been pushing the auto industry to do tests to make sure current recalls cover all air bags that are defective.
The safety agency has also been investigating Ford after receiving a complaint on Oct. 30 from the driver of a 2007 Mustang. In that case, the Mustang was going 35 mph when it crashed into the rear of another vehicle in North Carolina, causing the air bag to deploy. A metal fragment from the air bag injured the driver's leg.
The Mustang crash, which happened on Aug. 17, was notable because it occurred outside of the previous recall boundaries. North Carolina doesn't have the high level of humidity of Florida and other Gulf states.
On Monday, The Associated Press reported that Honda was quietly fixing air bags across the nation if customers were concerned about their safety. So far, Honda has formally issued recalls in 13 states and territories.
For more information and to see if your call is on the list, visit NHTSA's website.
(TM and © Copyright 2014 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS RADIO and EYE Logo TM and Copyright 2014 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
RELATED CONTENT: