The largest automotive recall in history is now a little bigger. Certain Volkswagen Beetles from 2015 and 2016 are being recalled due to an exploding inflator. VW said that 37,558 hardtops and convertibles could potentially be affected. The problem specifically relates to the driver’s side airbag.
The latest recall draws attention to cars with various types of Takata inflators that can be damaged by high temperatures, humidity levels, or both. Documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reiterate this special investigation started in 2014, focusing on vehicles from many automakers that were sold or used in areas where high humidity levels are common. An investigation found that moisture could have been a factor in causing the inflator to burst. Initial withdrawals were made in the region, primarily states in the southern United States, but two unexplained cracks were found in areas outside the withdrawal zone.
That brings us to this national recall, NHTSA Campaign Number 22V-945. Prolonged exposure to high humidity, high temperatures, or temperature cycling can degrade the propellant used in the air bag, causing it to rupture. That could potentially eject metal shards all over the interior, and the fix would be to replace the driver’s side airbag. VW said owner notices for affected Beetles will be sent in mid-February. Concerned owners can also call 1-800-327-4236 and refer to the VW 69EM recall number.
This is just the latest chapter in the Takata airbag saga that began a decade ago. The automaker’s initial recall of potentially lethal airbag explosions began in 2013. Widely used by manufacturers around the world, deeper investigations into Takata found millions and then dozens millions of vehicles equipped with potentially damaged airbags. In 2015, it became the largest single recall in auto history, crossing the 40 million mark. Takata eventually paid $1 billion in fines and damages; company executives were indicted, and it all led to Takata filing for bankruptcy in 2018.
Unfortunately, 24 deaths have been linked to faulty inflators, with the most recent occurring in late 2022.
