Industry News: Report Says Takata Changed Airbag Design In 2008 To Cut Risk

[William Maley]

While Takata has agreed to declare its airbags in nearly 34 million vehicles defective yesterday, a new report from Bloomberg says the supplier changed the design to reduce the risk of abnormal deployment back in 2008.

 

Sources tell Bloomberg that Takata changed the propellant mix to help reduce the effect of humidity - what many believe to be the cause of problem - around the same time that Honda announced that it would be replacing airbags in some of their models.

 

This new information could shine a light on one of the biggest mysteries on Takata's airbags. The company has said time and time again that its current products are safe, but didn't say why. It should be noted many of the vehicles involved in the recall were built before 2008.

 

The report goes onto say that a select group of people - including government officials - were told about the change.

 

Source: Bloomberg

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[G. David Felt]

I have to doubt that this is really what happened. If it was why not release this info back then rather than keep it under seal till almost 7 years later. I smell a rat and it reakes of greedy businessmen and politicians.

[67impss]

When I worked for Product Action LLC 05-09 we were sorting Takata air bags constantly for Honda GM and a few others lots of sharps & propellant issues THIS did not surprise me at all unfortunately