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Faith, Ledyard & Faith, PLC dba Faith Law
Faith, Ledyard & Faith, PLC dba Faith Law

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  4.  » The Takata air bag disaster: More than just a bunch of hot air

The Takata air bag disaster: More than just a bunch of hot air

The Takata air bag scandal is a great deal more than just a bunch of hot air. Indeed, these defective air bags have affected tens of millions of cars. According to some estimates, by the end of 2019, as many as 65 to 70 million vehicles will have been recalled as a part of this safety nightmare. To date, 23 people have already been killed by the defective devices.

One common misconception as it applies to these air bags is that the defects simply cause them to stop working. Tragically, the problem is graver than this. When the affected air bags are exposed to heat and humidity for extended periods of time, they are prone to exploding. The heat and humidity change the chemical makeup of the detonation material used in the air bag inflators. When functioning correctly, this explosive compound causes your airbags to inflate in a nanosecond to protect you in a crash. However, heat and humidity cause this material to become more explosive than it should be — which turns your air bag into a tiny little bomb.

When affected Takata air bags explode, they send hot metal fragments throughout the passenger compartment of the car, much like a small grenade blast. For lack of a better word, the situation is a nightmare. Safety regulators and nearly all of the most popular automakers have been scrambling to issue recalls and fix the most dangerous of these flaws. The problem is, due to the tens of millions of cars involved, it will not be possible to track down and repair all of them.

Were you or a loved one injured by a Takata air bag or by some other defect related to your car? Learn more about your legal rights and options by contacting our Maricopa personal injury law firm.

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