Toyota Recall Escalates With New Airbag Manufacturer

Posted August 16, 2016

While public concern over faulty airbags produced by Takata has now been underway for some time, in late June, concern escalated as another recall took place, this time based on a different airbag manufacturer: Autoliv. While there have not yet been the number of injuries and deaths associated with the series of recalls (namely Takata), these airbags provided by Autoliv have been spontaneously deploying in parked cars, sending metal shards from the inflator out into the cars themselves.

This problem essentially matches the issues that the Takata airbags faced, airbags that are now at the heart of the largest auto safety recall in automotive history due to the many injuries and deaths they have caused. The most recent Toyota models recalled (in association with the Autoliv airbags)  include the Prius and Lexus CT 200h (2010-2012)—two hybrid vehicles—and include those airbags fitted in the cars’ side roof rails, which protect occupants from side-impact crashes.  

Applies To Most Airbags

Autoliv is the manufacturer that has been supplying most of the replacement inflators affected by the Takata recall; in fact, together with Takata, TRW, and Daicel, they’ve been providing approximately four-fifths of the entire global supply of airbags in general.

A Bigger Issue

According to experts, inflators are one of the most complex aspects of automotive components, and manufacturing them typically requires extensive experience and a background in explosives, quality control, and chemistry. In addition, it can be difficult to oversee subcontractors when it comes to manufacturing crucial auto safety equipment like this. In this particular recall, Autoliv has cited the inflators’ substandard welds—as placed there by the subcontractor between 2010 and 2012—as the primary responsibility for the problems.

The similarities between the defects in Autoliv’s airbags and those of Takata’s have raises serious concerns about overall design and manufacturing issues, as the airbag inflators themselves are behaving quite similarly in all of these accidents (sending metal fragments into the car’s cabin), especially in the presence of hot, humid temperatures. Could that mean that the root cause of the Takata-related accidents—the explosive ammonium nitrate propellants in the airbags—could also apply to this most recent Autoliv recall?

Litigation

Massive litigation has resulted from the many deaths and injuries that resulted from the Takata defect. If this most recent airbag also results in injuries and deaths, there is no question that similar litigation will also follow.  

Reach Out to Our Oklahoma Injury Attorneys for Help

We rely on our cars in order to function in our everyday lives—commuting, taking our kids to school, running errands, etc. However, when our cars are the source of life-threatening injuries, they become a different part of our lives—a source of pain, suffering, and medical expenses.

If you’ve been injured due to someone else’s negligence—including a company’s negligence—our Tulsa, Oklahoma attorneys can help. Contact us  online or call the Bennett Law Firm, at 405-272-0303 for more information today.