Japanese Carmakers Expand Takata Airbag recall

The recalls had initially been issued in North America, but have now been extended to the rest of the world.

The carmakers said they were calling back a total of 3.2 million cars globally, affecting nearly 30 models.

 

Last week, Toyota recalled 1.37 million vehicles in the US after Takata agreed to an order by US regulators to declare more defective airbags.

The airbags have been linked to eight deaths, all in Honda vehicles. The carmaker has been the hardest hit by the recalls, calling back more than 19 million cars around the world.

The defect in the airbags, believed to be linked to a chemical propellant that helps inflate it, can cause it to deploy with explosive force and send metal shrapnel flying.

Massive recall

Toyota, the world's biggest automaker, said it would recall another 2.86 million cars, including 24 models made between April 2003 and December 2008.

Of the cars recalled, 1.729 million are in Europe, 360,000 are in Japan, and 190,000 in China.

Nissan, meanwhile, said it was recalling another 198,000 cars, including the Navara, Caravan and Teana made between April 2007 and December 2008. 

Mitsubishi said it would recall 120,000 vehicles.

The carmakers added that there had been no reports of accidents or injuries from the expanded recall.

In May, Takata had agreed to double a US recall to a record 34 million vehicles made by about 11 carmakers over the airbags.

The troubled car parts maker is due to hold a press conference in Tokyo later in the day to address recall concerns.