Report: There Could be Another Massive Takata Airbag Recall

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is evaluating the long-term safety of airbag inflators manufactured by Takata, which was found to have sold millions of defective parts around the globe over the past few years.

More specifically, the regulatory body has to decide by January 1st whether the approximately 100 million inflators containing a chemical drying agent intended to solve the problem are actually safe.

• Also: Honda Completes Takata Airbag Recall with Another 220,000 Vehicles
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If the answer is no, prepare to see another gigantic recall. And because Takata is now bankrupt, automakers will need to cover 100 percent of the costs this time around.

The original Takata inflators used ammonium nitrate which became unstable over time. As a result, they could explode and spray occupants with metallic debris. Humid weather conditions made the situation worse.

Bloomberg reports that a group of automakers involved in the first recalls, known as the Independent Testing Coalition (ITC), commissioned durability tests of the desiccant-equipped airbags and presented their findings to NHTSA in early October. They found that the drying agent provided significant protection.

The group recommended a monitoring program for one inflator design in the riskiest climates while telling NHSTA that it believes the parts present no immediate safety risk.