More than a dozen automakers this week recalled another 652,000 vehicles with Takata airbag inflators in the U.S. to replace front passenger inflators as the largest callback in the history of the auto industry continues to cascade through the regulatory process.
The 13 automakers that posted recalls in the latest U.S. batch are Audi, BMW, Daimler Vans, Ferrari, Jaguar Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Tesla, McLaren and Karma.
The latest round of recalls comes a week after Takata Corp. agreed to plead guilty to a U.S. government charge of wire fraud in connection to the defective inflators. Three former Takata executives have also been indicted for fraud and conspiracy.
Separately, Automotive News Canada reported Thursday that 13 automakers posted recalls for 900,000 airbags in Canada, most of which are from Honda, Toyota and Ford. About 5.2 million total airbags have been recalled in Canada.
The U.S. Department of Transportation plans to have nearly 69 million inflators recalled by the end of 2019, affecting 19 automakers. The airbag inflators, which have been linked to at least 16 deaths worldwide, can explode with excessive force and break a metal canister, spraying passengers with shrapnel.
