NHTSA mulls order to expand Takata airbag recall

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reportedly considering an order that would further expand the Takata airbag recalls.

The agency has sent letters to Mercedes-Benz, , Jaguar Land Rover, Suzuki, Tesla, Volvo Trucks, Volkswagen and Spartan Motors, asking for more information on vehicles outfitted with Takata inflators, according to an Associated Press report.

“It is expected that the scope of the current Takata recalls may expand as time goes on and will likely grow to include vehicles that are outside the scope of the current recalls,” the letter said.

Government investigators are said to be asking for details of every vehicle that uses an inflator powered by ammonium nitrate, a controversial chemical that may be prone to degradation via moisture exposure over time. Additional details remain unclear, though the scope of the requests suggests the NHTSA could push for a blanket recall on airbag inflators that use ammonium nitrate.

The ongoing Takata recall campaigns have so far affected more than 19 million US vehicles.