Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru expand Takata airbag recalls

Mazda, Mitsubishi and Subaru have issued another round of airbag recalls, following Takata’s acknowledgement of defects in approximately 34 million vehicles.
The three Japanese automakers are collectively recalling approximately 710,000 vehicles globally, according to a Reuters report.

Nearly half of the vehicles were sold in Japan, including approximately 112,000 Mazda vehicles, 91,000 Subaru Imprezas and 100,000 Mitsubishi vehicles. The remaining units, all included in the Mitsubishi campaign, were sold in overseas markets.

Takata’s latest announcement is expected to spark another wave of recalls from most major automakers. The 34 million recalled vehicles represents nearly one in seven vehicles registered in the US, based on a vehicle population estimate from 2012.

The defective airbag inflators, which sometimes explode with too much force, have been blamed for at least six deaths due to shrapnel injuries. Investigators are still attempting to determine a root cause, though humidity intrusion is believed to be the culprit.