Nissan, Toyota Recall 6 Million Cars Over Takata Air Bags

The Takata air bags issue is still happening, and as of today both Nissan and Toyota have initiated a massive recall with a combined total of 6.56 million cars globally. The recall is the latest to be initiated over the Takata air bags, which are prone to malfunction due to moisture seeping into the components. More than 10 car manufacturers have recalled about 25 million cars so far because of the problem which has, unfortunately, resulted in at least six deaths.

Of the recall, 5 million of the recalls are coming from Toyota, which points to the "certain types of air-bag inflaters [that were] found to have a potential for moisture intrusion over time." In Nissan's case, the air bag defect affects its passenger-side air bag.

The issue revolves around the faulty air bags, which could deploy with too much force if moisture seeps into the device. This excessive force could then result in shrapnel being propelled into the driver/passengers, causing potentially fatal injuries. The use of ammonium-nitrate based propellants is cited as a potential cause.

Nissan's recalled 1.56 million cars span from the model years 2004 to 2007, with 326,000 of them being in the US, 563,000 in Europe, and 288,000 in Japan. Toyota's recall spans model years 2003 to 2007, with 1.36 million of them being in Japan and 637,000 in the United States.

SOURCE: Wall Street Journal