Takata Recall Could Expand to Seven More Automakers

Takata Corp’s massive airbag recall is considered the largest U.S. recall in automotive history, affecting tens of millions of vehicles and responsible for at least 8 deaths. The airbags, which are prone to spontaneously exploding and spewing metal shrapnel into the car’s interior, have been installed in roughly 20 million vehicles in the U.S.—the majority of which in Honda and Acura models. In September 2015, NHTSA sent letters to seven additional auto manufacturers, Tesla Motors, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Suzuki, Volvo Trucks, Spartan Motors, and Jaguar-Land Rover, warning that they may also need to recall affected vehicles. The Japanese parts supplier is already working feverishly to replace the defective airbag inflators in vehicles made by almost a dozen manufacturers affected by the recall.