Image source: Flickr, Prattman
Fatal Airbags
This recall notice forced many auto giants to issue a mass recall involving almost 70 million cars. Automakers such as Nissan, Toyota, Mazda, Fiat Chrysler, and Honda issued recalls to consumers regarding defective airbags. The airbags were made by auto giant Takata. The problem was that the airbags could burst and spew metal pieces that could act as projectiles. The projectiles could kill or injure unsuspecting drivers or passengers. The faulty airbags affected vehicles made between 2002 and 2015. In the United States, 15 deaths arose from the airbag incident.
The problem stemmed from ammonium nitrate, which is an explosive chemical that causes the airbags to inflate. This chemical degrades when exposed to prolonged heat, causing the airbag to burst suddenly and cause injury.