The now-unprecedented recall of vehicles linked to exploding Takata airbags is once again getting attention from Congress.
DETROIT, MI - The now-unprecedented recall of vehicles linked to exploding Takata air bags is once again getting attention from Congress.
Last week Takata Corp. and federal regulators announced the nationwide recall of 33.8 million cars and trucks in the U.S., and next week a House energy and commerce subcommittee will hold a hearing to get an update on the recall that has been tied to six deaths and more than 100 injuries.
Faulty driver- and passenger-side air bags have exploded and sent metal pieces flying at drivers and passengers. Investigations by automakers, Takata and regulators have been searching for the root cause of the defective air bags.
So far, the consensus is that the chemical propellant that ignites the ai rbag inflators can be damaged by moisture over time in humid environments. Once damaged, the propellant becomes explosive.
Ten automakers had already issued their own recalls spanning some 18 million vehicles, but Takata had been resisting a nationwide recall, in part because the Japanese supplier's faulty parts only seemed to be affected by humid environments, such as areas of the Deep South.
Next week's Congress subcommittee meeting, titled "An Update on the Takata Airbag Ruptures and Recalls," is set for 2 p.m. on Tuesday, June 2.
In November, a Senate panel grilled executives of Honda and Takata, at a time when just 8 million vehicles had been recalled in the U.S., a majority of which - 5 million - were made by Honda, Takata's largest customer.
Meanwhile, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it is looking to hold a formal legal proceeding to coordinate and accelerate a program for supplying replacement parts for the 33.8 million vehicles in the U.S. now affected by the recall.
NHTSA suggests it could order manufacturers to "prioritize certain vehicles or certain regions in its allocation of replacement parts," for example. The agency posted a formal notice announcing that plan on the Federal Register's website.
Several readers have said their vehicles are affected by the air bag recall, but dealerships have told them they cannot immediately get parts in to fix potentially faulty airbags.
A Takata spokesman told Reuters the Japanese supplier aims to up its production of replacement inflators to 1 million a month by September, up from the current 500,000 replacement parts it is churning out. But Mark Rosekind, an administrator for NHTSA, cautioned that the recall could take "some years" to complete, according to Reuters.
Some automakers have begun to source replacement parts from other suppliers.
Eleven automakers are now affected, with Honda dominating the list. Most of the vehicle model years are in the early to mid 2000s. Motorists can look up their vehicle identification number, or VIN, here at the safercar.gov website.
If you suspect your vehicle could be included, it is important to look up the VIN periodically, because it may take a few weeks for a manufacturer to enter your vehicle's number into the system after a recall is announced. If your vehicle is included, contact the manufacturer, e.g. Honda, Toyota or Chrysler, for guidance on getting your vehicle fixed as soon as possible.
David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at dmuller@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter