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Decision May Be Near on Firm to Lead Takata Airbag Probe

Carmakers trying to determine why some Takata Corp. airbag inflators explode may decide this week on a firm to lead the independent investigation, sources tell The Detroit News.
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Carmakers trying to determine why some Takata Corp. airbag inflators explode may decide this week on a firm to lead the independent investigation, sources tell The Detroit News.

Ten manufacturers led by Toyota Motor Corp. agreed last December to launch their own probe after Takata admitted it still doesn't know the root cause of the defect. Carmakers have recalled about 24 million vehicles worldwide to replace faulty Takata inflators since 2009. The devices have been blamed for six fatalities and at least 65 injuries.

The News says Takata plans to meet with carmakers next week to report on its tests of some 10,000 affected inflators. The company believes the defect is a result of manufacturing errors, age and prolonged exposure to high heat and humidity.

Carmakers are keen to verify the specific cause. Without it, they fret that replacement inflators could develop the same flaw years from now.

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