In the wake of the massive Takata airbag recall, yet another manufacturer is coming under scrutiny for producing potentially faulty airbags. Recently, automakers have found a number of potential defects in airbags manufactured by Continental Automotive Systems. The defective airbags may be installed in millions of vehicles worldwide, forcing a new airbag recall to be issued. To date, defective airbag recalls have affected more than 9 million vehicles.
Airbag Inflator Defects
Several automakers noted that airbags manufactured by Continental Automotive Systems may malfunction as a result of moisture coming into contact with the airbags control system. When this occurs, the airbags power supply may fail. If so, the airbags may not deploy in the event of an impact. The airbags may also potentially inflate at random. An investigation began in August 2015 into the defective Continental airbags, following 19 complaints received by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The complaints involved airbags in affected Honda Accords that did not deploy following crashes.Five Million Vehicles Affected
This new Continental airbag recall is expected to affect as many as 5 million automobiles globally, with models dating back to 2006. According to Continental, fewer than 2 million affected automobiles are located in the United States. Major automakers have already issued recalls for defective Continental airbags. Affected automobile brands include:- Honda: 2010 Accord model sedans
- Fiat Chrysler: 2009 Dodge Journeys, 2008-2009 Dodge Grand Caravans and Chrysler Town & Country minivans
- Volkswagen: 2009 Routan
- Mercedes: 2008-2009 C-Class vehicles and 2010 GLK350s
