Faulty Takata Airbag Inflator Claims Another Victim
Another death has been linked to one of Takata’s faulty airbag inflators – the 11th confirmed fatality in a Honda vehicle related to the component.
This particular incident didn’t involve a moving vehicle as the exploding Takata airbag inflated when someone was trying to make repairs with a hammer. According to Detroit News, the death occurred in June 2016, involving a 2001 Honda Accord in Hialeah, Florida. The man, who was not the owner of the car, was performing repairs that involved using a hammer while the vehicle’s ignition switch was in the “on” position. The Japanese automaker said the hammer triggered the activation of the airbag inflator, which ruptured as the bag was being deployed.
SEE ALSO: Takata Reportedly Filing for Bankruptcy
Honda recently learned of the death and said that multiple owners of the car were mailed 12 recall notices over seven years. The company doesn’t have any record that the recall repair was ever completed on the vehicle.
In total, 12 people in the U.S. and 17 worldwide have been killed by the faulty Takata airbag inflators, with over 180 injuries linked to the problem in the U.S.
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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This is why you need to take your car in for repairs when it is recalled. The repair is free and fixes a safety defect, which when fixed, will save your life. The problem with an old car that has multiple owners, it may be hard to the find the current owner and some people ignore the recall or put it off.