Injury & Accident Law

Rare NHTSA alert warns owners of 4.7 million vehicles of airbag safety issues

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Owners of 4.7 million vehicles manufactured 10 to 15 years ago by BMW, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota should get an immediate inspection to determine if they have faulty airbags, a federal agency warned Monday.

The rare National Highway Traffic Safety Administration alert concerns vehicles equipped with airbags made by Takata Corp. that have been the subject of prior recalls, according to the Los Angeles Times (sub. req.).

The alert is especially urgent for those who live in humid areas, such as Florida, where the weather could aggravate the defect.

At issue is airbags containing inflator mechanisms made by Takata that could rupture and send metal fragments flying, potentially causing injury or death, according to the Detroit Free Press, the Guardian and USA Today.

Related articles:

Associated Press: “US urges car owners to get faulty air bags repaired”

Bloomberg: “Honda Death Probed as Homicide Adds to Air Bag Scrutiny”

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