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Federal Officials Expand Investigation into Millions of Vehicles Over Airbag Failure

Toyota and Honda Recall More Than 6 Million Cars for Defective Airbags

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has expanded an investigation into failing airbags involving six different automakers after linking at least five deaths to defective electronics. According to Consumer Reports, this is the federal safety agency’s most detailed investigation into airbags since the massive Takata probe and subsequent recall encompassing more than 56 million vehicles.

Airbags May Not Deploy

The new investigation involves TRW, a different airbag supplier that is currently under ZF’s ownership in Germany. It covers 12.3 million vehicles manufactured by six different automakers: Honda, Fiat Chrysler, Kia, Toyota, and Mitsubishi. Agency investigators are investigating whether electrical interference from nearby wiring can cause the airbag control unit to fail.

This means the airbags may not deploy as they should during a crash. It’s possible that the crashes are sending harmful electrical signals through sensor wiring that damages the control units. In such cases, both driver—and passenger-side airbags can fail to deploy. Hyundai, Kia, and Fiat Chrysler have already issued recalls relating to defective airbags.

All three automakers have said they will cooperate fully with the NHTSA’s investigation. The agency has identified two serious injury crashes with non-deploying airbags, one from model year 2018 and one from model year 2019. The agency has elevated this airbag investigation into an engineering analysis, a level reserved for more intense examinations of potential defects.

The Danger of Defective Airbags

When airbags fail to deploy, the consequences can be devastating. Vehicle occupants who are in a violent crash and don’t have the protection of airbags may suffer traumatic injuries including traumatic brain injury, facial injuries, broken bones, etc. Most recently, millions of vehicles equipped with Takata airbags have been recalled for defective airbag inflators that can propel metal shards into the vehicle compartment, causing serious injuries and deaths.

If you or a loved one has been injured as the result of an airbag that fails to deploy, you may be able to seek compensation for damages including medical expenses, lost wages, hospitalization, rehabilitation, pain and suffering, and emotional distress. If you have lost a loved one due to airbag failure, you may be able to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the automaker and the manufacturer of the defective airbag.

In such cases, it is crucial to preserve the vehicle in its current condition unaltered so experts can examine it thoroughly for evidence of defects and malfunctions. An experienced auto defect lawyer may be able to provide more information regarding your legal rights and options.

Source: https://www.consumerreports.org/car-safety/nhtsas-new-airbag-investigation-covers-123-million-vehicles/

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