Federal regulators had given Takata Corp. until Tuesday to widen its recall of air bags to the entire U.S., but the Japanese company appeared to ignore that demand, setting up a potential clash with House lawmakers at a hearing today.
The Associated Press obtained a letter from Takata to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In it, Takata officials said that NHTSA's demand for a nationwide recall wasn't backed by evidence. They also said the agency lacked the authority to force a recall by a parts maker.
A NHTSA statement cited by the AP called Takata's response "disappointing." Last week, the agency threatened legal action and fines if Takata didn't expand its recall.
The problem with Takata's air bags is that they can inflate with too much force, sending metal shrapnel through the vehicle.
As we've previously reported, Takata so far has issued recalls in Florida, Hawaii and along the Gulf Coast, as well as in Puerto Rico, Guam, Saipan, American Samoa and the Virgin Islands. The company says the inflator ruptures only in high humidity parts of the country. But NHTSA had pointed to incidents in California and North Carolina.
BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota all use the inflators that are the target of the recall. More than 14 million recalls have been issued worldwide, including 8 million in the U.S.
The problem with the company's air bag was first spotted in 2004, and has been linked to a cheaper air propellant, to which Takata switched in 1998.
At a Senate hearing last month, Hiroshi Shimizu, senior vice president of quality for Takata, apologized for the at least five deaths and dozens of injuries that have been linked to the company's air bag.
Takata officials face questions today from members of the House Commerce and Energy Committee.
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