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Japan Leads U.S. in Takata Airbag Inflator Replacements
About 70% of some 3 million vehicles recalled in Japan to replace faulty Takata Corp. airbag inflators have been repaired, according to The Nikkei.
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About 70% of some 3 million vehicles recalled in Japan to replace faulty Takata Corp. airbag inflators have been repaired, according to The Nikkei.
That compares with about 12% of at least 17 million cars recalled in the U.S. for the same purpose.
The recalled Takata inflators may explode when activated in a crash, spraying metal fragments into the passenger compartment. The devices have been blamed for six fatalities, five of them in the U.S.
Observers attribute the widely different success rates to cultural differences. Japan has tougher inspection laws and consumers are more responsive to recalls. The country's used-car market also is smaller, making it easier for manufacturers to find owners of older vehicles.
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