BMW announced on July 16, 2014 that they were recalling more than one million vehicles due to problems with passenger airbags, prompting some to consider a lawsuit against the manufacturer. The airbags were made by Takata Corporation and affects 3 Series vehicles manufactured between May 1999 and August 2006. Extension of Previous Recall According to BMW, the recall is an extension of a regional recall that United States safety regulators required in June. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recommended a recall of vehicles with Takata Corporation airbags installed in both passenger and driver sides of vehicles.Last year, 240,000 vehicles were recalled for the same issue. BMW says that the extended recall is not to avoid any lawsuits, but as a precaution. Other Manufacturers In addition to BMW, other car manufacturers were also affected by the recall. Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mazda, Fuji Heavy Industries-owned Subaru, Mitsubishi, Ford and Fiat-Chrysler were also affected. There have been no reports of accidents or injuries related to the issue so no lawsuits are currently pending. Airbag Problem According to officials at the car manufacturers, the Takata Corporation airbags have inflators that could break apart during deployment and injure drivers or passengers in the car. More than 12 million cars have been recalled over the past five years for related issues. Honda has also expanded their recall farther than the NHTSB required and says that their investigation into the problem is “ongoing.” BMW is the latest of the manufacturers to extend their recall, following in the footsteps of Honda. All other manufacturers are waiting for investigations to be completed by their engineers before expanding the recall. No lawsuits are currently pending against any of the manufacturers or Takata Corporation. When a faulty car component is suspected as the cause or contributing factor in a car accident that causes injury or death, a wrongful death or personal injury lawsuit may be in order. Contact Dallas-Fort Worth lawyers at Frenkel & Frenkel to schedule a free initial consultation regarding an auto accident where injuries may have been caused or worsened by a faulty car component.
