Japanese automakers recall 6.5m cars over faulty airbags
Safety concerns tied to faulty airbag inflators have forced Toyota and Nissan to pull millions more cars from the roads
Takata-made car seats at a Toyota showroom in Tokyo, Japan. Toyota and Nissan have had to recall millions of cars worldwide over news that Takata's airbags could carry safety risks
Major Japanese automakers Toyota and Nissan have announced they are to recall 6.5m cars worldwide after hearing that airbag inflators made by Takata could pose a serious risk of injury to vehicle occupants. The latest recall adds another troubling chapter to the ongoing Takata airbag saga, which has been linked to the withdrawal of approximately 25m vehicles globally since safety concerns were first aired in 2008.
Japan-based Takata has come up against strong criticism recently as a result of the findings
Honda announced it would be recalling vehicles of its own, though it is yet to provide further details. Since the crisis first set in, the airbags in question have been linked to at least five deaths; these have all been in Honda cars, though 10 different carmakers have taken affected vehicles off the roads.
The world’s biggest automaker – and arguably the hardest hit by the scandal – Toyota revealed the recall covered 35 of its models – or 1.36m vehicles in Japan alone – and promised to act quickly. “Toyota’s focus remains on the safety and security of our customers, and we will continue to respond promptly to new developments so we can resolve issues for them as quickly, conveniently and safely as possible”, said Dino Triantafyllos, Chief Quality Officer at Toyota Motor North America, in a statement.
Nissan, meanwhile, said it would recall approximately 1.56m cars over concerns of the same sort, though stopped short of listing which models were affected.
Japan-based Takata has come up against strong criticism as a result of the findings. It faces multiple lawsuits in both the US and Canada, as well as regulatory probes into its dealings.
