BATON ROUGE, LA – Japanese airbag
maker Takata recalled an additional 3.3 million faulty air bag inflators this
week, and Attorney General Jeff Landry is encouraging Louisiana consumers to
verify whether their vehicles are affected by the recall.
“The largest automotive recall in American history has
just been expanded,” explained General Landry. “And my office wants to ensure
the people of our State know about it, as consumer awareness is an important
step in preventing injury or fatalities as a result of this defect.”
The latest recall covers frontal air bags in certain
2009, 2010 and 2013 vehicles made by Honda, Toyota, Audi, BMW, Daimler Vans,
Fiat Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Jaguar-Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz,
Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, and Tesla.
“Some vehicle owners may not be aware that they may have
defects in their airbags,” added General Landry. “So I urge Louisiana consumers
to check if their vehicles need service; and, if they do, to get this free
recall repair as soon as possible.”
The airbag defect is caused by a chemical in the
inflator that can deteriorate after prolonged exposure to high temperatures and
humidity. The faulty inflators can explode without too much force and shatter a
metal canister, propelling pieces of metal through the air during a crash.
The U.S. Transportation Department’s National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration has established the website www.safercar.gov/rs/takata
for consumers to determine whether their vehicle is affected by the recall and
to view any status updates.
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For more information on this recall and other consumer
protection tips, call Attorney General Jeff Landry’s Consumer Protection
Hotline at 800-351-4889 or visit www.AGJeffLandry.com.