Rental Car Equipped with Faulty Takata Airbags Claims Eighth Life

In the largest auto recall in history, 34 million vehicles equipped with Takata-made airbags have been identified as faulty, leading to eight confirmed fatalities thus far. The defective airbag inflators are at the crux of the recall, as they cause the airbag to spontaneously explode, sending metal shrapnel into the vehicle. The eighth fatal crash involved a rental car in California. “The fact that this was a rental vehicle that had not been remedied is more evidence for why we are seeking authority to prohibit sale or rental of any vehicle with an open safety recall,” said Mark Rosekind, administrator of NHTSA. As one of the industry’s leading airbag makers, Takata is working to replace the inflators, but not quickly enough.