Automakers hasten Takata repairs; NHTSA confirms 8th fatality

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Wednesday that an eighth U.S. death is linked to a faulty Takata airbag inflator, marking the first reported death since April and ninth death worldwide.

So far, faulty inflators have prompted recalls under NHTSA’s safety margin model years, spokesman Gordon Trowbridge told reporters during a press conference.

NHTSA said it named John Buretta, a former official in the Justice Department’s criminal division to serve as independent monitor overseeing the Takata recalls. Not only have all eight US fatalities occurred in Honda vehicles, putting some drivers on edge, but also the recalls to replace Takata airbags have been needlessly complicated, segmented by region and component.

“American Honda continues to urge owners of Honda and Acura vehicles to get their vehicles repaired”, the company said.

“Our thoughts and honest sympathies are with the family”, Honda said.

Takata’s inflators can explode with too much force and spray metal shrapnel into vehicle passenger compartments and are linked to nine deaths and more than 100 injuries.

A minor was killed driving a relative’s 2001 Honda Accord, which was under recall, Trowbridge said, declining to identify the victim.

Trowbridge said the pace of recall completions is “accelerating”, but that the matter can not be delayed.

Takata uses ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion that inflates the air bags in a crash.

Three manufacturers, meanwhile, are expanding their list of recalled vehicles, following additional testing of the suspect airbags. This passenger front airbag recall expansion will include 17,990 vehicles already subject to the driver front airbag inflator safety recall announced on May 27, 2015.

NHTSA said last month that about 70 percent of replacement inflators installed during repairs are being provided by companies other than Takata.

The almost 19-million vehicle recall campaign impacts makes and models of several automakers including BMW, Fiat Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Daimler Trucks, Honda, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota.

While paid by Takata, Beretta reports directly to NHTSA and will be responsible for reviewing and assessing Takata’s compliance with its November settlement with the government.