Takata Airbags
Recently, attorneys across the nation have filed class action lawsuits against Takata, Honda, Ford, BMW, and Toyota because of their roles in the sales of defective airbags. It has been reported that the airbags installed in almost 8 million vehicles may be defective and dangerous.
What Is The Issue?
Airbags installed in over 45 different models of cars made between 2000 and 2008 have been found to be defective. Claims state that when a car comes into minor contact with something, the airbag explodes. These explosions have resulted in metal debris from the vehicle being projected throughout the passenger cabin, which has led to injury and even death. As of May 2015, over 140 people have been injured by Takata’s exploding airbags, and there have been at least 4 reported deaths.
Takata has claimed that the problem with the airbags is due in part to environmental conditions, such as humidity. However, research has found that the improper storage of the explosive propellant in the airbag may have led to excessive moisture in certain cases, leading to unexpected explosions. Furthermore, attorneys claim that Takata had known about these defects for over 10 years and had continued to manufacture the faulty parts.
Are You At Risk?
Product recalls have been issued for over 7 million cars in the United States alone. If you have purchased any of the following model vehicles, you should contact The National Highway Safety Administration to find out more information regarding your specific model. Recalled vehicles include:
- The 2003 to 2006 Acura MDX
- The 2005 Acura RL
- The 2002 and 2003 Acura TL/CL
- The 2000 to 2006 BMW 3 Series Convertible
- The 2000 to 2006 BMW 3 Series Coupe
- The 2000 to 2005 BMW 3 Series Sedan
- The 2000to 2005 BMW 3 Series Sports Wagon
- The 2001 to 2006 BMW M3 Convertible
- The 2001 to 2006 BMW M3 Coupe
- The 2005 to 2008 Chrysler 300
- The 2007 and 2008 Chrysler Aspen
- The 2005 to 2008 Dodge Dakota
- The 2005 to 2008 Dodge Durango
- The 2003 to 2008 Dodge Ram
- The 2005 to 2008 Dodge Ram 2500
- The 2006 to 2008 Dodge Ram 3500
- The 2006 to 2008 Dodge Ram 4500
- The 2008 Dodge Ram 5500
- The 2005 to 2006 Ford GT
- The 2005 to 2007 Ford Mustang
- The 2004 Ford Ranger
- The 2001 to 2007 Honda Accord
- The 2001 to 2005 Honda Civic
- The 2002 to 2006 Honda CR-V
- The 2003 to 2011 Honda Element
- The 2002 to 2004 Honda Odyssey
- The 2003to 2007 Honda Pilot
- The 2006 Honda Ridgeline
- The 2003 to 2005 Infiniti FX35/FX45
- The 2001to 2004 Infiniti I30/I35
- The 2002 to 2004 Lexus SC
- The 2004 Mazda B-Series Truck
- The 2005 Mazda MPV
- The 2004 to 2008 Mazda RX-8
- The 2003 to 2007 Mazda6
- The 2006 and 2007 MazdaSpeed6
- The 2004 and 2005 Mitsubishi Lancer
- The 2006 and 2007 Mitsubishi Raider
- The 2001 to 2003 Nissan Maxima
- The 2001 to 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
- The 2002 to 2004 Nissan Sentra
- The 2003 to 2005 Pontiac Vibe
- The 2005 Saab 9-2x
- The 2003 to 2005 Subaru Baja
- The 2004 and 2005 Subaru Impreza
- The 2003 to 2005 Subaru Legacy
- The 2003 to 2005 Subaru Outback
- The 2002 to 2005 Toyota Corolla
- The 2003 to 2005 Toyota Corolla Matrix
- The 2002 to 2005 Toyota Sequoia
- The 2003 to 2005 Toyota Tundra
To date, only defective airbags in Honda vehicles have been involved in accidents causing deaths; however, The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urging anyone with a car on the recall list to replace the defective airbags before allowing passengers in their cars.
Legal Action
Lawsuits against Takata and several automobile manufacturers claim that despite Takata’s knowledge of the dangerous defects in its airbags, it continued to sell them. Claims also assert that Takata neither attempted to fix the defect nor properly warned the public of the problem. Representatives at Takata continue to claim that the company is not at fault for the product failures. Attorneys at Peter Angelos Law are reviewing cases of individuals who have been affected by the Takata defective airbags. Please contact our office at 410-216-0009 for a no-charge consultation if you have been harmed.