Dodge Challengers have recently been added to the ever-growing list of Takata airbag recalls. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) says that the Challengers were “inadvertently excluded” from the original recall list submitted to the NHTSA. The FCA also stated it was not until an audit on July 6 that they realized the 88,346 Dodge Challengers, manufactured between September 2007 and October 2010, had Takata airbags.
The Japanese-manufactured airbags contain a propellant that can degrade over time from moisture exposure. Even in a low-speed impact, the airbags can deploy with such excessive force that they self-destruct and shoot shrapnel into the passenger compartment. Over the last decade, they have been traced back to eight deaths and more than 100 injuries.
Takata’s Failures in Morality
Takata is being fined $14,000 a day for the defective airbags, and there is evidence alleging that Takata may have known about the defects as early as 2004. Yet Takata declined U.S. Senator Richard Blumenthal’s request to set up a relief fund that would distribute monetary funds to victims and families that have been injured or killed by the defective airbags.
Even more concerning is that Takata has allegedly halted their global safety audits to save money. And, even though the exact cause of the original defect is still being questioned, Takata is shipping replacement parts for the recalled vehicles to dealerships. This not only places public safety at risk where new airbags are concerned, it continues to endanger those already affected by the recall.
Although Takata’s Chief Executive has apologized for the defect and the deaths and injuries that have resulted from it, the company is still failing in morality. They are acting negligently and continue to put people in harm’s way. This is more than just an issue of product liability; it is unacceptable.
Seek Help for Your Product Liability Case
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed by a Takata airbag defect, the law office of Hurley McKenna & Mertz can help. Our Chicago, Illinois product liability attorneys have more than 20 years of experience, and we are dedicated to fighting for our clients to help them receive the kind of compensation they deserve for their injuries.
