3 People Killed by Faulty Replacement Air Bag Inflators in Last 9 Months: NHTSA

A U.S. auto safety regulator said on Wednesday that three people have been killed and two seriously injured in the last nine months by low-cost faulty replacement air bag inflators.

BMW Recalling 394,000 Vehicles German carmaker BMW said on Wednesday it was recalling 394,000 vehicles in the United States due to faulty airbag inflators that could potentially cause serious or fatal injuries, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said on Wednesday. An air bag inflator could explode, sending potentially deadly sharp metal fragments flying and striking the driver or others in the vehicle, NHTSA said. BMW said the issue covers air bag inflators that had been previously recalled but the vehicles could have had a replacement steering wheel installed with a defective air bag. Owners will take vehicles to dealers for inspections, and if a steering wheel with a recalled airbag is found it will be replaced. BMW said it was unaware of any crashes or injuries tied to the new recall. The faulty airbag inflators manufactured by Japanese automotive parts company Takata Corp are at the center of the largest, most complex recall process in auto history. More than 30 deaths – including at least 26 in the United States – and hundreds of injuries since 2009 have been attributed to Takata airbags fitted to vehicles of various automakers. Over the past decade, more than 100 million vehicles fitted with Takata airbag inflators have been recalled worldwide. Once the world’s leading supplier of airbags, Takata filed for bankruptcy in 2017 after the scandal. The latest recall includes certain BMW 3 Series Sedans and Sportswagon models from the 2006 to 2012 model years. – David Shepardson, Reuters

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urged used car buyers and owners to beware of substandard imported inflators that can cause death or serious injury in a crash. The agency said the inflators, which had been installed after prior crashes, malfunctioned in subsequent collisions, sending large metal fragments into drivers.

“These suspect replacement parts are often manufactured by foreign companies with little to no reputation of quality manufacturing or experience, sold at prices far below the cost of quality genuine equipment, ordered online … and installed by those other than reputable repair shops or manufacturer dealerships,” the agency said.

The NHTSA added that consumers should obtain a vehicle-history report before purchasing a used vehicle and, if it was in a prior crash, visit an independent mechanic for an air bag inspection to ensure the parts are genuine.

“If it’s too good to be true, it likely is — and it could be deadly,” the agency said.

For years, NHTSA has investigated air bag inflators that can degrade after long-term exposure to high humidity.

More than 30 deaths worldwide, including 26 U.S. deaths, and hundreds of injuries in various automakers’ vehicles since 2009 have been caused by Takata air bag inflators that can explode, unleashing metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks.

Over the last decade, more than 67 million Takata air bag inflators have been recalled in the United States by more than 20 automakers, and more than 100 million inflators recalled worldwide, in the biggest auto safety callback in history.