Over the past ten years, the Takata airbag recall has grown to encompass about 67 million vehicles from major automakers. The NHTSA calls this “the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history.”
Of the approximately 67 million recalled vehicles, 50 million airbag inflators have been repaired, while 17 million remain unrepaired, according to the NHTSA.
According to the NHTSA, long-term exposure to high heat and humidity can cause certain Takata airbags equipped with PSDI-5 inflators containing ammonium nitrate to explode. If an inflator ruptures, metal fragments could puncture the airbag during deployment and send shrapnel into the passenger compartment.
BMW has not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to this issue, the NHTSA stated.
Out of an abundance of caution, BMW issued a safety recall on June 26 to identify, inspect, and, if necessary, replace the driver front airbag inflators in the recalled vehicles free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on Aug. 23.
In 2017, following the widespread recall of its airbags, Takata conducted evaluations on PSDI-5 airbag inflators collected from Nissan and Ford Motor Co. vehicles in the field. They confirmed that some “demonstrated a pattern of propellant density reduction that could lead to inflator rupture,” according to the NHTSA.
Based on Takata’s internal investigation and independent test laboratories, the risk of airbag ruptures due to defective inflators increases after several years of exposure to persistent high humidity or high temperatures, according to the NHTSA safety report.
The NHTSA has confirmed that 27 people in the U.S. have been killed and at least 400 injured due to Takata airbag inflators exploding.
