Is Your Vehicle Affected By Takata’s Massive Airbag Recall?UncategorizedJuly 28, 2017Regardless of whether or not you keep up to date with automotive industry news, by now you may have heard of Takata’s airbag recall which has grown to be the largest airbag recall in history. So far about 34 million vehicles have been known to be affected by faulty airbags manufactured by a Japanese Auto Parts manufacturing company Takata. The issue with the airbags involves a defective inflator and propellent devices which improperly deploy causing shards of metal fragments to shoot at vehicle occupants. To find out if your vehicle is affected you can visit: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (Check your VIN#) Transport Canada The fiasco began in April 2013 when Takata announced the fault. In November 2014 The New York Times published a report suggesting that Takata executives had prior knowledge of the defective airbags since 2004 and had been conducting secret tests to verify the problem. Instead of announcing the issue, executives from Takata ordered that the evidence be destroyed. Takata was brought to court and refuted the allegations. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issues Takata for a record of $70 million in civil penalties and could reach as much as $200 million if further violations are found. Car manufactures pull out from using Takata components as emails surface outlining their practice of misrepresenting data to the customer had “gone beyond reasonable bounds and now most likely constitutes fraud.” As more people are injured, more vehicles are added to the nation wide recall list. It is discovered that the issue is caused by a combination of the use of ammonium nitrate as a propellant, the construction of the inflator and exposure to hot and humid environments. The U.S. Government fines Takata Corp for $1B as part of the agreement for Takata to plead guilty on charges of wire fraud and conspiracy. Eventually Takata files for bankruptcy on the 26th of June 2017. Read a full breakdown of the events that transpired and led to the largest airbag recall in history With 184 injuries and 11 deaths in the U.S. alone, it is important to make sure that your vehicle is safe. We at Pacific Insurance Broker Inc. urge you to double check your vehicle to ensure that your loved ones are protected while on the road. While the number of recalled vehicles continue to grow, stay updated by checking the sources provided above.