Here we go again! Just when you think the biggest problem with Takata airbag inflators is manufacturing enough replacements, another recall hits. This time, over one half million vehicles are being recalled due to the faulty Takata airbag inflators. This recall is spread over thirteen vehicle manufacturers and covers 652,000 vehicles in the U.S.As most people know by now, the faulty Takata airbag inflators containing ammonium nitrate are destabilized by repeated exposure to heat and humidity. When they fail, the inflators rupture, deploying the airbags regardless of whether there’s been an accident. They also send shrapnel into the vehicle cabin similar to the way a Claymore anti-personnel mine sends shrapnel into advancing enemies. In short, the ruptures are deadly. Around the globe, to date, over 180 people have been injured and sixteen people have been killed due to this defect.Worldwide, the recall covers roughly 100 million Takata airbag inflators. In the U.S. alone, 69 million inflators have been recalled, along with 42 million vehicles. The Takata airbag inflator recall is the largest automotive recall in our country’s history.The most recent recall involves vehicles manufactured by:

• Karma

• Subaru

• Daimler Vans

• Tesla

• Mazda

• McLaren

• Mercedes

• Ferrari

• BMW

• Mitsubishi

• Nissan

• Jaguar-Land Rover

• Audi

As you can see from the list, high-end as well as electric vehicles are not escaping the reach of the inflator issue.ABC News provided the list of models (by manufacturer) that are covered by this latest recall. The list is reproduced below:AUDI: 2009 A4 Cabriolet, S4 Cabriolet, A6 Avant, A6 Sedan and S6 Sedan; 2005-2008 A4 Avant, A4 Sedan, A6 Sedan, S4 Avant and S4 Sedan; 2007-2008 A4 Cabriolet, RS4 Sedan, S4 Cabriolet and S6 Sedan; 2006-2008 A6 Avant; 2008 RS4 Cabriolet.NISSAN: 2012 Versa hatchback; 2009-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45, 2009 Nissan Versa; 2005-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45, 2006-2010 Infiniti M35 and M45, and 2007-2008 Nissan Versa.JAGUAR-LAND ROVER: 2012 Jaguar XF, 2009 Jaguar XF, 2007-2009 and 2012 Range Rover.SUBARU: 2005-2006 Baja, 2009 Forester, Legacy and Outback and 2006-2011 Impreza. Also 2006 to 2012 Tribeca; 2009-2012 Forester, Legacy, Outback, and 2012 WRX.DAIMLER VANS: 2012 Freightliner 2500 and 3500 Sprinter and Mercedes-Benz 2500 and 3500 Sprinter; 2009 Dodge 2500 and 3500 Sprinter and Freightliner 2500 and 3500 Sprinter.TESLA: 2012 Model SMITSUBISHI: 2012 and 2014 i-MiEV electric vehicles.BMW: 2012 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i, X5 M, X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M. 2009 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i, and X5 M. 2008-2009 X6 xDrive 35i, X6 xDrive50i, X6 M, and 2009 X5 xDrive35d. 2007-2008 X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, X5 xDrive50i and X5 M, and 2008 X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i, and X6 M.FERRARI: 2012 California, 458 Italia, 458 Spider, and FF.MERCEDES-BENZ: 2012 C300 4Matic, C250, C250 Coupe, C350, C350 Coupe 4Matic, C350 Coupe, C63 AMG, C63 AMG Coupe, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Cabrio, E350 Coupe, E550 Cabrio, E550 Coupe, GLK350 4Matic, GLK350, SLS AMG Cabrio, and SLS AMG Coupe. 2009 C300 4Matic, C300, C350 and C63 AMG. 2008 C300 4Matic, C300, and C350.MAZDA: 2007-2009 B-Series trucks, 2012 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6, 2009 CX-7, CX-9 and Mazda6, 2007-2008 CX-7 and CX-9, 2009 RX-8, 2005-2006 MPV and 2005-2008 RX-8.MCLAREN: 2012 MP4-12C.KARMA: 2012 Fisker Karma.

Image courtesy of www.nhtsa.gov.

If you’re unsure whether your vehicle is on the recall list, go to this webpage provided by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Simply enter your 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) and

Sources:

Over 652K Vehicles Involved in Latest Takata Air Bag Recall (ABC)

Over 652K Vehicles Involved in Latest Takata Airbag Recall (NBC)