Ohio residents may have already heard about the massive recall of Takata airbag inflators that have been ongoing for several years. Recently, a different airbag inflator that is manufactured by a separate company was recalled for a similar problem.
The recall affects 460,000 Volvos
The massive recall impacts a total of 460,000 Volvos, including 260,000 that were sold in the U.S. The affected cars are:
- 2001-2006 Volvo S80
- 2001-2009 Volvo S60
The airbag inflators in these vehicles have been found to degrade over time and become extremely dangerous. A company called AutoLiv supplies the airbag assemblies, which include defective inflators made by ZF Friedrichshafen. The defective inflators are located in the driver-side airbags.
One reported death
The recall was issued after the driver of a Volvo was killed by an exploding airbag. Volvo was notified about the death in June 2019 when it received a letter from the victim’s attorney.
Volvo says that the 5AT 148 N propellant tablets that are used in the FG2 twin inflators can decay under certain conditions. When this happens, the inflators become more explosive and can send metal shards hurtling at high speed during car accidents. Hot and humid conditions can increase the risk of these problems.
What to do if you were injured by a defective airbag
Sometimes, defective auto parts make car accident injuries worse. If you were severely injured in a car accident, it’s possible that your vehicle’s manufacturer was to blame for some of your injuries. You may want to look into defective auto parts and consider including the vehicle manufacturer as a defendant in your car accident claim.