New Takata Air Bag Safety Risk and Recall in San Diego

For many San Diego residents, the relatively recent and seemingly ever-expanding Takata air bag recall was a source of anxiety and frustration. As you may remember, the Takata air bags installed in dozens of different automobile makes and models ran the risk of exploding as a result of a defective inflator, causing severe and life-threatening shrapnel injuries, and some victims even died as a result of their injuries. Over the last several weeks, Takata news stories have largely focused on culpability for the Takata executives who may have known about the serious product defect yet did not take steps to remedy the issue before consumers got hurt. However, according to a recent article in CNET.com, there is a new Takata air bag safety issue that has prompted another recall.

What do you need to know about the new recall, and what should you do if you drive one of the affected vehicles?

New Takata-Sourced Air Bag Product Defect

Is there really another problem with Takata air bags? As the CNET.com article explains, the new problem is this: “if the front driver airbag deploys, misaligned components may cause the airbag to only partially fill.” In addition, the “airbag cushion might also separate from the airbag module.”

What does this mean for drivers? In short, if you are involved in a motor vehicle collision and you are driving a car with one of the defective air bags, your air bags may not function properly. Air bags are designed to reduce the rate of and the severity of injuries in the event of a crash. If the air bags are not functioning properly, the driver may not benefit from these devices that can be life-saving.

Identifying Affected Makes and Models

Which vehicles are impacted? Thus fair, only Ford has issued recalls for Takata air bags that do not properly inflate. Currently, Ford has recalled around 32,000 vehicles in North America, including the following models:

• 2016-2017 Ford Edge;
• 2016-2017 Lincoln MKX; and
• 2017 Lincoln Continental.

All of the vehicles affected by the recall were manufactured between November 11, 2014 and February 15, 2017. At the time of the recall, the 2017 Lincoln Continental had only recently gone on sale to consumers. To be clear, this recent defect and recall is not related in any way to the previous Takata air bag defect.

What should you do if you own one of the affected models? As with other motor vehicle recalls, it is important to take your vehicle to your local dealership for a repair. The article reports that the air bag module will be replaced in affected vehicles. While Ford is required to notify anyone who owns one of the models containing recalled air bags, you can also contact the company or your local dealership yourself. According to CNET.com, “Ford did not supply a timetable for this recall, but one can reasonably expect the notifications to be sent out in the near future.”

Contact a San Diego Product Liability Lawyer

If you sustained injuries caused by a defective automotive part, you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation. You should discuss your case with a product liability lawyer in San Diego as soon as possible. Contact the Walton Law Firm to learn more about filing a lawsuit.

See Related Blog Posts: Dangerous Toys to Watch Out for in San Diego County Injuries Caused by Exploding E-Cigarettes

(image courtesy of Kalu Ci)