Airbag Recall 2015: Toyota, Honda, Nissan Expand Recalls After Deaths, Injuries

An airbag recall for vehicles manufactured by Toyota, Honda, and Nissan has been expanded once again, and now the 2015 airbag recall affects millions of passengers. It is believed the flaw may be linked to multiple deaths and over 100 injuries.

In a related report by the Inquisitr, a recent Ford recall list addressed faulty door latches on the Fiesta, Fusion, and Lincoln MKZ. A faulty GM ignition switch has been linked to seven more deaths, and so far, the death toll is at 97 people.

The large scale of the airbag recall is due to all the parts being produced by the same company. Takata Corp. is being investigated since their design for their airbag deflators apparently can deploy too quickly, and the force breaks metal and plastic, causing parts to be hurled at the passengers in the vehicle.

Although the airbag issue is being issued by all three Japanese auto companies, no one is sure exactly what to do about the defects.

“The biggest problem here is both carmakers and Takata have not specified the direct reason for the defect,” said Takeshi Miyao, an analyst at researcher Carnorama in Tokyo, according to Business Insider. “They can’t recall all the possible cars without knowing what the direct cause is as the costs are enormous and they don’t know which side should cover the costs.”

The Toyota recall includes the 2004 and 2005 RAV4; the 2003, 2004, 2005, and 2006 Tundra; the 2004 Sequoia; and also the 2005 through 2007 model years for the Corolla, Matric, Sequoia, and Lexus SC. Toyota’s expansion of the airbag recall totals up to 5 million vehicles globally, with about 600,000 of those Toyota cars located in North America.

“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 of Toyota Motor North America.

The Honda recall will also be expanded, but the auto company has yet to disclose specific models, total numbers, or their location. A Honda spokesperson did say that none of the airbag recalls are for vehicles sold in the United States.

The Nissan recall will include an estimated 1.56 million cars worldwide, including 326,000 vehicles in North America, but the exact details won’t be released until later.

“We expect to have a more formal statement and additional information by Friday, May 15,” the company said, according to AFP. “This will affect many of our markets, including Japan, Europe and North America. There might be many factors. (But) we have seen risks that the metal casing for inflators can malfunction.”

Takata spokesman Hideyuki Matsumoto declined to comment on the massive 2015 airbag recall. According to U.S. Senator Bill Nelson, the airbag defect has been linked to six deaths, with five in the United States and one in Malaysia. It is also believed that 105 injuries are connected to the flawed design.

[Image via Google Images]