Takata Identifies Another 1.3 Million Faulty Airbag Inflators

Takata Corp. says another 1.3 million of its front airbag inflators in the U.S. could explode when triggered in a crash.

More than a dozen carmakers already are recalling roughly 100 million inflators worldwide, including about 70 million in the U.S., because the devices can misfire after long exposure to high heat and humidity. Takata tells the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the new batch of devices can do the same after only moderate heat and humidity cycles.

The six types of inflators in the new group, like those previously recalled, use ammonium nitrate propellant that lacks a drying agent. The desiccant can help prevent degradation. Early last year NHTSA warned carmakers they might eventually be ordered to replace all Takata inflators, regardless of whether they contain a desiccant and even in cars located in cooler and drier climates.

The new recall targets 2009 model vehicles in 20 states and the District of Columbia. The states are Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, News Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Takata tells NHTSA it will work with carmakers to determine which vehicles should be recalled. The agency notes that the same states have previously been listed for Takata inflator recalls of vehicles from the 2008 model year and earlier.

As details become available, NHTSA says it will post them on its www.safercar.gov website.