NHTSA May Add More Carmakers to Takata Recall List

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reiterates it could order several more vehicle manufacturers to recall Takata Corp. airbag inflators that could explode.

The agency has so far demanded that a dozen carmakers replace 23 million Takata inflators in 19 million vehicles in the U.S. But Director Anthony Foxx points out to Bloomberg News that five other vehicle makers also are using Takata inflators filled with ammonium nitrate, the propellant the agency banned last week.

In September Boomberg reported the same possibility of an expanded recall group.

The group of companies consists of Daimler, Jaguar Land Rover, Spartan Motors, Tesla and Volkswagen. None is aware of any inflator-related malfunctions of its airbag systems, none plans a recall and only VW has conducted any tests of the Takata inflators in its cars.

Foxx tells Bloomberg that “everybody’s got to be diligent” and says the five additional carmakers should be conducting their own safety tests on the inflators. He notes that NHTSA’s investigation into Takata inflators remains open and adds he would not “preclude the possibility” that other carmakers could be affected.

The 12 vehicle makers currently conducting Takata recalls or preparing to launch campaigns are BMW, Daimler Vans, Daimler Truck, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota.