Takata Air Bags ....seriously?

[Coss]

I would bet Takata airbags have saved a thousand times as many lives... The last fatality...
Sadly the agency also announces the eighth U.S. fatality likely caused by a rupture of a Takata air bag inflator, and the ninth worldwide. Although yet to be confirmed by the manufacturer, the incident involved a model year 2001 vehicle that spent most of it service life in the high absolute humidity (HAH) region and had been under recall for many years. The fatality was the result of a driver air bag rupture, as has been the case for all known fatalities.

In Takata's defense, they tried to prioritize air bag replacements to only High humidity areas which are the only places the issues occur but the U.S. government required them to do full recalls. These full recalls would have happened after they replaced the truly dangerous ones but instead, they've had to spread out limited resources to cover cars that weren't dangerous... Thus, unnecessary deaths. Sure, it would have been nice to have the foresight to know what may or may not become dangerous seven years down the road but who can do that? What happens when air bag companies decide it isn't worth the litigation to keep producing them? Do prices skyrocket?

Who knew phase stabilized ammonium nitrate would become explosive in high humidity anyway? Scientists and engineers are still trying to figure it out. Are we seeing the death of the used car industry or the birth of periodic air bag replacement shops?

Another possibility, figure out a completely new design (like not from the steering wheel).
I doubt you would ever see the death of the Use Car Market; they make more per car than they do on the new ones.

 

[Ty]

Another possibility, figure out a completely new design (like not from the steering wheel).
I doubt you would ever see the death of the Use Car Market; they make more per car than they do on the new ones.

True that they make a lot of money but as a consumer, wouldnt you at least hesitate before buying a used car knowing air bags become unstable after 7 years? How do parents feel buying their kids cars with potentially deadly airbags? I was just thinking that part of a dealer selling used cars could become necessaryreplacement of airbags. I can see the legislation now making it illegal to sell a used car without first replacing the airbag. Could you be held liable as a seller if you didn't replace the airbag and some kid died due to your lack of awareness? I can see added costs killing a large part of the used car market...

 

[McBrew]

True that they make a lot of money but as a consumer, wouldnt you at least hesitate before buying a used car knowing air bags become unstable after 7 years?

Airbags used to have an expiration date. Even my 1998 Benz had one. So did my '84 Benz. It didn't seem to bother people.

 

[Ty]

Airbags used to have an expiration date. Even my 1998 Benz had one. So did my '84 Benz. It didn't seem to bother people.

True. That's why we have people like the kid killed in his Toyota that was under recall for years before his death. I'm sure that through sales and such, Toyota's letter didn't get through but the kid never thought to check recalls either.

 

[DeltaMike]

Another possibility, figure out a completely new design (like not from the steering wheel).
I doubt you would ever see the death of the Use Car Market; they make more per car than they do on the new ones.

Yes. See my comment on the existing (albeit aviation) answer in a separate thread. Amsafe.

 

[Coss]

Yes. See my comment on the existing (albeit aviation) answer in a separate thread. Amsafe.

That head in a bag one? I saw that; but isn't that designed for motorcycles? I don't see how it could protect your face (unless it wrapped all the way around). Or something different?
If different, could you provide the link please? Or just repost it here.

 

[Ekh]

True that they make a lot of money but as a consumer, wouldnt you at least hesitate before buying a used car knowing air bags become unstable after 7 years? How do parents feel buying their kids cars with potentially deadly airbags? I was just thinking that part of a dealer selling used cars could become necessaryreplacement of airbags. I can see the legislation now making it illegal to sell a used car without first replacing the airbag. Could you be held liable as a seller if you didn't replace the airbag and some kid died due to your lack of awareness? I can see added costs killing a large part of the used car market...

I'll bet you 1 person in `100,000 takes this into consideration. Nobody buying a used car is about to spring for new airbags. That's why they're buying a used car in the first place! Show me any group of citizens that rational and that aware -- and I'll vote for them for congress!

 

[WilliamH]

True that they make a lot of money but as a consumer, wouldnt you at least hesitate before buying a used car knowing air bags become unstable after 7 years? How do parents feel buying their kids cars with potentially deadly airbags? I was just thinking that part of a dealer selling used cars could become necessaryreplacement of airbags. I can see the legislation now making it illegal to sell a used car without first replacing the airbag. Could you be held liable as a seller if you didn't replace the airbag and some kid died due to your lack of awareness? I can see added costs killing a large part of the used car market...

Could we hold the NHTSA and the IIHS criminally responsible for requiring us to have unstable explosive devices in our cars in close proximity to our heads and chests?

 

[McBrew]

Could we hold the NHTSA and the IIHS criminally responsible for requiring us to have unstable explosive devices in our cars in close proximity to our heads and chests?

No, that would be insane, considering the number of lives airbags have saved.

Your comment reminds me of a real mouth breather I used to work with. He had a special note on his license which allowed him to drive without a seatbelt. I found out it was because his father died in a car fire, and he believed that his father might have escaped if he hadn't had his seatbelt on. I asked him if car fires ran in his family. He didn't get it.

 

[WilliamH]

No, that would be insane, considering the number of lives airbags have saved.

Your comment reminds me of a real mouth breather I used to work with. He had a special note on his license which allowed him to drive without a seatbelt. I found out it was because his father died in a car fire, and he believed that his father might have escaped if he hadn't had his seatbelt on. I asked him if car fires ran in his family. He didn't get it.

Oh! You're from Maryland. That explains a lot.
I really don't care how many lives you think they may have saved.
Aren't you people the ones that keep saying "If it saves just one life"?
Well in this case it takes lives.
But the government mandated this so it's OK?
Why haven't they required that all cars that are involved in floods have their airbag inflators replaced?