Report: Takata Ready to Expand U.S. Recalls

Exploded Takata airbag

Beleaguered Takata Corp. is preparing to expand regional U.S. recalls of its defective airbag inflators to cover the entire country, according to The Nikkei.

If Takata fails to do so voluntarily today, it could be ordered to widen the campaigns by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. NHTSA also has threatened to fine Takata as much as $35 million for failing to act.

Over the past two years 11 carmakers have recalled 16 million vehicles worldwide about half of them in the U.S. to replace Takata airbag inflators that could explode. The American campaigns have been limited to vehicles in humid climates, because the inflators appear to be sensitive to moisture.

But NHTSA warned carmakers at the end of October they should prepare to expand the recalls nationally. Since then Takata and vehicle manufacturers have been testing scrapped inflators from other parts of the country to help determine the scope of the problem.