A Reuters analysis has found the actual number of affected car and trucks appears to be far less than the initial recall.
DETROIT, MI - Last month Takata Corp. and federal regulators announced the recall of 33.8 million vehicles in the U.S., but a Reuters analysis has found the actual number of affected cars and trucks appears to be far less.
Reuters reviewed records submitted with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and verified recalls with car companies, and found that about 16.2 million vehicles have the potentially defective airbags.
NHTSA told Reuters that it is aware of 30 million parts that need to be replaced, but has not yet reached a definite tally of affected vehicles.
The faulty driver- and passenger-side airbags have been linked to at least six deaths, including five in the U.S., and more than 100 injuries. A Louisiana woman could be a seventh fatality, though that has not yet been confirmed.
In humid environments, some of the defective airbags' inflators have ruptured and exploded, sending metal shards flying through the car.
Ten automakers are affected, and several have begun sourcing replacements parts from other suppliers as affected car owners bring their vehicles in to dealerships to be fixed.
Motorists can look up their vehicle identification number, or VIN, to see if it is affected here at the safercar.gov website.
Investigations by automakers, Takata and regulators have been searching for the root cause of the defective airbags. So far, the consensus is that the chemical propellant that ignites the air bag inflators can be damaged by moisture over time in humid environments. Once damaged, the propellant becomes explosive.
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