CARS.COM — Which cars are included in the Takata airbag inflator recall? As of early January 2017, the massive airbag inflator recall already covered 46 million non-desiccated airbag inflators in 29 million cars in the U.S. after a massive expansion earlier in 2016 — at the time affecting nearly one in every nine passenger vehicles on the road. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration expects the still-expanding recall to affect 64 million to 69 million inflators in 42 million cars by 2020.
And in June 2017, Takata added another type of inflator, 2.7 million inflators with a desiccant, opening a new chapter in the recall.
Related: More Takata Recall News
The Takata airbag recalls specifically involve the airbag inflator inside the airbag. The repair for your particular car may involve replacing the entire airbag assembly or just the inflator.
Automakers will determine the specific cars affected by Takata's recalls and notify owners with their own recall. As we did previously, we'll reach out to automakers to make sense of it all, and we'll update this story as we receive more information. Here are the most recent Takata recall news updates, followed by updated maker-by-maker rundowns of the vehicles they have recalled:
Updated 7/25/2017: Mazda issues a new recall to put permanent replacement airbag inflators in about 205,000 vehicles recalled in May 2016 to get temporary repairs. Under the older recall, the vehicles were being given a stopgap fix with new inflators containing the same non-desiccated ammonium-nitrate propellant as the originals that might have degraded. The replacements under the new recall use a different propellant.
Updated 7/24/2017: Ford and Mazda resist a recall of the desiccated inflators, notifying NHTSA that they will petition for further study, saying data is insufficient to confirm that they pose a danger like that of the non-desiccated parts. The issue involves more than 2 million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury SUVs, sedans and pickup trucks, as well as about 6,000 Ranger-based Mazda pickups from the period when Ford controlled Mazda.
Updated 7/21/2017: Nissan follows the Takata action by recalling about 515,000 Versa sedans and hatchbacks with driver-side airbag inflators containing the desiccated ammonium-nitrate propellant Takata now says also may be risky.
Updated 7/21/2017: Nissan is the first automaker to announce specific vehicle recalls related to Takata's recent recall of 2.7 million older-generation airbag inflators with a particular desiccant, or drying agent, intended to protect the propellant from heat and humidity degradation. This group, using a desiccant now not used, previously were thought to be safe, but Takata testing determined they could be dangerous. The 2.7 million inflators were not covered by, and are in addition to, the current phased recall of all non-desiccated inflators.
Updated 7/11/2017: Takata adds another type of inflator, 2.7 million inflators with a desiccant, opening a new chapter in the recall.
Updated 5/19/17: BMW, Mazda, Subaru and Toyota agree to jointly provide a total of approximately $553 million to fund consumer outreach, customer reimbursements and rental car/loaner programs in an effort to compensate owners affected by the recall and improve recall remedy completion rates. Click here for more.
BMW
Which cars are under recall? BMW confirmed on April 10, 2015, that a range of 3 Series models are under national recall, including 2000-2005 sedans, 2000-2006 coupes, 2000-2006 convertibles, 2000-2005 wagons, 2001-2006 M3 coupes and 2001-2006 M3 convertibles.
On May 28, 2015, BMW added the 2002-2003 5 Series sedan (including the M5) and wagon plus the 2003-2004 X5 SUV, but only models with the optional sport steering wheel are affected.
On Jan. 22, 2016, NHTSA said its latest expansion would include BMW, and the automaker responded Feb. 10 with a large batch of new recalls: the 2008-2013 1 Series coupe and convertible, 2006-2011 3 Series sedan, 2006-2012 3 Series wagon and 2007-2013 3 Series coupe and convertible, plus a lot of SUVs: the 2013-2015 X1, 2007-2010 X3, 2007-2013 X5 and 2008-2014 X6.
On June 2, 2016, BMW added several model years for passenger-side airbags. They are the 2007-2011 BMW X5 xDrive30i, X5 xDrive35i, X5 xDrive48i, xDrive50i and X5M; 2009-2011 BMW X5 xDrive35d; 2008-2011 BMW X6 xDrive35i, X6 xDrive50i and X6M; and 2010-2011 BMW X6 ActiveHybrid. BMW is recalling the cars based on how humid it is where you live, but NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national. If you see your car listed above, it'll likely become recalled at some point regardless of location.
BMW expanded the recall in January 2017 to include certain variants of the 2001 5 Series sedan (including the M5) and wagon plus the 2001-2002 X5. (Many of the expansion-covered models already are under recall as automakers expand the scope or geographic region of recalls within a given model year, add different inflators or recall replacement inflators.)
Which airbag inflators in those cars are under recall? It depends on the particular car, but BMW has recalled inflators in driver-side airbags, passenger-side airbags or both for given vehicles. In some cases, the replacement airbags — those installed after a crash where the original airbag deployed — are Takata units even though the original ones weren’t. Check with your dealer for specifics on your car.
Daimler (Mercedes-Benz)
Which cars are under recall? Many core models from 2005-2014. NHTSA said its Jan. 22, 2016, recall expansion would add Mercedes-Benz cars and vans — the first time Takata recalls directly involved the brand, owned by Germany’s Daimler AG. On Feb. 9, Daimler responded with more details on the recalls for Mercedes-Benz cars and Daimler vans sold under various brands.
Mercedes spokeswoman Donna Boland told Cars.com that the recalled cars would include "various" C-Class, E-Class, SLK-Class and SLS-Class cars and GL-Class, M-Class and R-Class SUVs, all from the 2005-2014 model years. Daimler vans recalled include various Sprinter vans sold under the Dodge, Freightliner and Mercedes-Benz brands from the 2007-2014 model years.
All the cars and trucks are being recalled for driver-side airbag inflators, Boland said. However, she did not provide a schedule for owner notification and offered no more specifics on particular model years or production date ranges for each vehicle under recall.
Separately, the Takata airbag inflator recall already involves some heavy-duty Daimler trucks.
On June 2, 2016, Daimler recalled various Sprinter vans for their passenger-side airbag: 2009 Dodge Sprinter, 2009-2011 Freightliner Sprinter and 2010-2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Mercedes-Benz also recalled the following cars because of defective passenger-side airbags. They are the 2008-2011 Mercedes-Benz C-Class; 2010-2011 Mercedes-Benz E350 coupe; 2010-2011 Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class; 2011 Mercedes-Benz E350 convertible; 2011 Mercedes-Benz E550 coupe and convertible; and 2011 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG. The cars being recalled are based on how humid it is where you live, but NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national. If you see your car listed above, it'll likely become recalled at some point regardless of location.
Daimler expanded the recall in January 2017 to include model-year 2012 versions of the Mercedes-Benz C-Class sedan and coupe, E-Class coupe and convertible, GLK-Class, SLS AMG coupe and convertible, and Sprinter 2500 and 3500 commercial van (both under the Freightliner and Mercedes-Benz brands), all for passenger-side airbag inflators. (Many of the expansion-covered models already are under recall as automakers expand the scope or geographic region of recalls within a given model year, add different inflators or recall replacement inflators.)
Which airbag inflators are under recall? Depending on the car, the driver-side or passenger-side airbag inflator.
Ferrari
Which cars are under recall? On May 27, 2016, regulators recalled two Ferrari models: 2010-2011 458 Italia coupes built from March 5, 2010, to July 29, 2011, and 2009-2011 Ferrari California convertibles built from Feb. 16, 2009, to July 8, 2011.
In January 2017, Ferrari added model-year 2012 versions of three cars: the California, 458 Italia (including the Spider convertible) and FF.
Which airbag inflators in those cars are under recall? Passenger-side inflators for both cars.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Which cars are under recall? FCA confirmed the current list includes "certain" 2003-2008 Dodge Ram 1500, 2004-2009 Ram 2500 and 3500 pickup trucks and 3500 chassis cabs; 2008-2010 Ram 4500/5500 chassis cabs; 2004-2008 Dodge Durango and 2007 Chrysler Aspen SUVs; 2005-2010 Chrysler 300 sedans and 2006-2010 Dodge Charger sedans; 2005-2010 Dodge Magnum wagons; and 2004-2011 Dodge Dakota pickups.
On May 27, 2015, FCA expanded its Takata recalls to include a larger chunk of 2004-2011 Chrysler and Dodge vehicles than you may have seen here earlier. The expansion involves driver-side airbag inflators, and it supersedes a smaller recall in December 2014. (Note that many cars on the above list are also under recall for passenger-side airbag inflators; those campaigns ostensibly remain unchanged.) Also on May 27, FCA expanded its passenger-side Takata airbag inflator recall for the 2003 Ram 1500, 2500 and 3500; that partially supersedes an earlier passenger airbag inflator recall for various FCA vehicles.
Importantly, FCA says anyone who got repairs under the 2014 driver-side recall will need to have them done again, but only some owners who got repairs under the Ram’s passenger-side campaign may need new replacements.
On July 10, 2015, FCA added 2008-2010 Dodge Challengers built from Sept. 19, 2007, to Oct. 29, 2010, to the list. The automaker found the Challenger was incorrectly excluded from an earlier nationwide recall for Takata inflators in the driver-side airbags.
FCA made a host of additions on May 27, 2016, all for passenger-side airbags. Many of them are for cars that are already under recall for driver-side airbags. A number of them are new, however, including the 2010 Ram 3500 chassis cab, 2008-2009 Sterling 4500/5500 chassis cab, 2011-2012 Chrysler 300, 2008-2009 Chrysler Aspen, 2011-2012 Dodge Charger, 2011-2012 Dodge Challenger, 2009 Dodge Durango and 2007-2012 Jeep Wrangler. Regulators initially restricted many of the May 27 recalls — particularly for later model years — to more humid regions of the country. But NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national, so if you see your car on this list, it will likely be recalled at some point regardless of location.
Which airbag inflators in those cars are under recall? Both driver- and passenger-side airbag inflators, though it depends on the specific car.
Ford
Which cars are under recall? On May 28, 2015, Ford announced the 2005-2014 Mustang sports car and 2005-2006 GT exotic are both under recall for the driver-side airbag inflators, while the 2004 Ranger pickup truck built at Ford’s Edison Assembly Plant and 2004-2006 Ranger built at Ford’s Twin Cities Assembly Plant are under recall for passenger-side airbag inflators. On Jan. 26, 2016, Ford added driver-side inflators to the 2004-2006 Ranger recall.
"There’s no geographic boundaries but there are also no build date boundaries," Ford spokeswoman Kelli Felker told us. "This includes every one of those vehicles in those models regardless of where they're built in the world."
Ford made a host of additions on June 1, 2016, all for passenger-side airbags. They are the 2007-10 Ford Edge SUVs, 2006-11 Ford Fusion sedans, 2005-11 Ford Mustang sports cars, 2007-11 Ford Ranger pickup trucks, 2007-10 Lincoln MKX SUVs, 2006-11 Lincoln MKZ and Zephyr sedans, and 2006-11 Mercury Milan sedans. (Lincoln is Ford's luxury division, while Mercury is a former Ford brand.) The Mustang and Ranger already have been recalled for previous Takata inflators; the June 1 addition either adds passenger-side airbags or expands earlier Takata recalls. Ford will recall these cars in batches depending on how humid it is where you live, but NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national. If you see your car on this list, it will likely be recalled at some point regardless of location.
Ford added more cars in January 2017, including the 2012 Fusion, 2012 Lincoln MKZ and many cars already listed above, all for passenger-side inflators. (Many of the expansion-covered models already are under recall as automakers expand the scope or geographic region of recalls within a given model year, add different inflators or recall replacement inflators.)
Which airbag inflators in those cars are under recall? The Ranger, GT and Mustang may be under recall for the driver-side airbag, passenger-side airbag or both. Other cars are under recall for only the passenger-side airbag.
GM
Which cars are under recall? GM has recalled 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe and 2005 Saab 9-2X hatchbacks, both from defunct brands that are closely related to other cars (the Toyota Matrix and the Subaru Impreza, respectively). GM spokesman Alan Adler said GM dealers are servicing recall repairs for both models. The Vibe recall was originally confined to high-humidity areas, according to NHTSA, but GM expanded it along with Toyota's expansion of Matrix recalls in June. Although GM did not clarify whether the expansion constitutes a nationwide recall, its vehicle total for 2003-2007 Vibe hatchbacks (around 342,000) strongly suggests that's the case.
The 9-2X, meanwhile, was expanded to a national recall on May 28. It applies to 2005 models built from Feb. 11, 2004, to March 17, 2005.
On May 28, 2015, GM placed several heavy-duty trucks under national Takata recalls: the 2007-2008 Chevrolet Silverado 2500HD and 3500HD built from Nov. 28, 2006, to Aug. 29, 2008, and the 2007-2008 GMC Sierra 2500HD and 3500HD built from Nov. 27, 2006, to Aug. 29, 2008.
On Oct. 18, 2015, GM added a couple hundred 2015 Buick LaCrosse, Cadillac XTS and Chevrolet Malibu sedans, plus 2015 GMC Terrain and Chevrolet Equinox SUVs and Chevrolet Camaro sports cars. The latest recall stems from faulty Takata seat-mounted side airbag inflators, however. It's the first instance in this crisis of a recall over side airbags, not frontal ones.
NHTSA's Jan. 22, 2016, recall expansion added the Saab 9-3 luxury car to the list for the 2003-2011 model years, and the Saab 9-5 to the list for the 2010-2011 model years. (GM owned Saab until 2010.) GM also issued a Takata airbag inflator recall for the Saturn Astra hatchback for the 2008-2009 model years.
On May 27, 2016, regulators added the 2006 Saab 9-2X and 2009-2010 Pontiac Vibe for certain regions. NHTSA plans to expand those areas to eventually become national, however.
On June 2, 2016, GM recalled the following pickup trucks and SUVs for passenger-side airbag inflators: 2007-2011 Cadillac Escalade, Escalade ESV and Escalade EXT; 2007-2011 Chevrolet Avalanche; 2007-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 1500; 2007-2011 Chevrolet Suburban; 2007-2011 Chevrolet Tahoe; 2007-2011 GMC Sierra 1500; 2007-2011 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL; 2009-2011 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 and 3500; and 2009-2011 GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500. The cars being recalled are based on how humid it is where you live, but NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national. If you see your car listed above, it'll likely become recalled at some point regardless of location.
Which airbag inflators in those cars are under recall? Passenger-side airbag inflators for all models up until the Oct. 18 batch, which involves seat-mounted side airbag inflators for both the driver and passenger seats. The Saab 9-3, Saab 9-5 and Saturn Astra are under recall for driver-side airbag inflators. The May 27 and June 2, 2016, additions are for passenger-side inflators.
Honda
Which cars are under recall? Honda, which was responsible for about a third of all cars under Takata recall as of early 2017, says 2001-2007 Accords, 2001-2005 Civics, 2002-2006 CR-V SUVs, 2003-2011 Element SUVs, 2002-2004 Odyssey minivans, 2003-2008 Pilot SUVs and 2006 Ridgeline pickup trucks are under recall. The automaker's Acura division has 2003-2006 MDX SUVs, 2002-2003 TL sports sedans, 2003 CL coupes and 2005 RL sedans under recall.
Honda announced May 28, 2015, it would recall more 2001 and 2003-2005 Civics as well as 2003-2007 Accords for front-passenger airbag inflators, even as both cars were already under recall for driver-side airbag inflators. Honda's front-passenger airbag inflator recall has largely been limited to areas of high absolute humidity, like the Gulf Coast. The automaker has a national campaign for driver-side airbag inflators, which on May 28 it said it would upgrade from a voluntary "Safety Improvement Campaign" to a formal recall.
Still, the automaker cautions that this is a simplified list, and not every car within these model years is under recall. But "it's fair to say that most vehicles within each model and year would be affected by one or more of the recalls," spokesman Chris Martin said on June 8, 2015.
On Feb. 3, 2016, Honda added a huge chunk of additional cars to its Takata recalls, all under recall for driver-side airbag inflators: the 2007-2011 Honda CR-V, 2011-2015 Honda CR-Z, 2010-2014 Honda FCX Clarity, 2010-2014 Honda Insight, 2009-2014 Honda Fit (including the Fit EV), 2007-2014 Honda Ridgeline, 2013-2016 Acura ILX (including the ILX Hybrid), 2007-2016 Acura RDX, 2005-2012 Acura RL, 2009-2014 Acura TL and 2010-2013 Acura ZDX. Again, not every car in this latest group is included, so owners should check their vehicle identification number online for specifics.
Honda made a host of additions on May 27, 2016, all for passenger-side airbags. Some of them are for cars that are already under recall for driver-side airbags. A number of them are new, however, including the 2009-2011 Acura TSX sedan and 2011 TSX Sport Wagon, the 2009-2011 Honda Pilot, 2008-2011 Accord, 2010-2011 Accord Crosstour, 2006-2011 Civic (including the Civic Hybrid and natural-gas Civic GX) and 2007-2008 Fit. Regulators initially restricted many of the May 27 additions — particularly for later model years — to more humid regions of the country. But NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national, so if you see your car on this list, it will likely be recalled at some point regardless of location.
Honda added more cars in January 2017, including the 2006-2012 Acura RL, 2012 Acura TSX sedan and 2012 TSX Sport Wagon, 2012 Honda Accord, 2012 Honda Crosstour, 2012 Honda Pilot and many more cars already listed above, all for passenger-side inflators. (Many of the expansion-covered models are already under recall as automakers expand the scope or geographic region of recalls within a given model year, add different inflators or recall replacement inflators.)
Which airbag inflators are in the recall? Repeated expansions from Honda, including a large expansion in January 2017 for passenger-side inflators, make for a complex situation. Some cars are under recall for passenger-side airbags, some for driver-side airbags and some for both. Check with Honda’s online search tool at recalls.honda.com or recalls.acura.com, and look on NHTSA’s VIN search tool, too. Individual models will vary, and given that Honda's Takata recalls don't necessarily affect every car in a listed model year, some owners in this set may need repairs for one airbag inflator or the other, or both inflators.
Jaguar Land Rover
Which cars are under recall: The 2009-2011 Jaguar XF and 2007-2011 Land Rover Range Rover are now affected by NHTSA's expansion of the Takata airbag inflator recall to include passenger-side airbags. The cars being recalled are based on how humid it is where you live, but NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national. If you see your car listed above, it'll likely become recalled at some point regardless of location.
In January 2017, Jaguar expanded the recall to add the 2012 Jaguar XF and 2012 Land Rover Range Rover. (Many of the expansion-covered models are already under recall as automakers expand the scope or geographic region of recalls within a given model year, add different inflators or recall replacement inflators.)
Which airbag inflators are under recall? Passenger-side airbag inflators on all affected cars.
Karma (Fisker)
Which cars are under recall? A large Takata expansion in January 2017 added the 2012 Fisker Karma to the list. (After Fisker's demise in 2013, Chinese auto-parts supplier Wanxiang Group bought the remains and eventually relaunched them as Karma Automotive.)
Which airbag inflators are under recall? Passenger-side airbag inflators.
Mazda
Which cars are under recall? Mazda's national Takata recalls affect the 2003-2008 Mazda6, including the 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed6 built from Aug. 4, 2005, to June 29, 2007, as well as the 2004-2008 RX-8 and the 2004-2006 B-Series pickup truck. (Mazda says there are no build-date boundaries for the RX-8, B-Series and non-Mazdaspeed Mazda6 in the affected model years.) The B-Series and 2003 Mazda6 were not under recall originally; Mazda added them June 4, 2015.
A smaller group of Mazda6s, RX-8s and MPVs are under a separate Takata recall in areas of high absolute humidity, so if you live around the Gulf Coast or certain U.S. islands and own a Mazda6 or RX-8, your car may have more than one recall. The regional campaign affects 2003-2006 Mazda6s built from Jan. 17, 2003, to Dec. 13, 2005; 2004-2005 RX-8s built from April 10, 2003, to Aug. 20, 2004; and 2004-2005 MPVs built from Aug. 20, 2003, to Aug. 27, 2004. Given the recall only affects "certain" cars, according to Mazda, not every car in those regions and build dates may get the recall.
On Jan. 22, 2016, NHTSA expanded the recalls for the B-Series to add the driver-side airbag inflator. Mazda responded on Feb. 1 by recalling the 2004-06 B-Series pickup trucks to include driver-side airbag inflators; the original recall only applied to passenger-side airbag inflators.
Mazda made a host of additions on May 27, 2016, all for passenger-side airbags. Many of them are for cars that are already under recall for driver-side airbags. A number of them are new, however, including the 2009-2011 Mazda6, 2006 MPV, the 2007-2011 CX-7 and 2007-2011 CX-9. Regulators initially restricted many of the May 27 additions — particularly for later model years — to more humid regions of the country. But NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national, so if you see your car on this list, it will likely be recalled at some point regardless of location.
In January 2017, Mazda expanded the recall to include the 2007-2009 B-Series pickup, 2009 RX-8 coupe and model-year 2012 versions of the CX-7 and CX-9 SUVs as well as the Mazda6 sedan. (Many of the expansion-covered models are already under recall as automakers expand the scope or geographic region of recalls within a given model year, add different inflators or recall replacement inflators.)
In July 2017, Mazda issued a new recall to put permanent replacement inflators in about 205,000 model-year 2007-11 Mazda CX-7 and CX-9 SUVs and 2009-11 Mazda6 sedans that had been recalled in May 2016. Under the previous recall, they were getting temporary repairs with new inflators of the same type recalled.
Which airbag inflators are in the recall? Specific cars vary, but the B-Series and pre-2009 Mazda6 and RX-8 model years are largely under recall for both inflators, while the MPV, CX-7, CX-9 and 2009-2011 Mazda6 and RX-8 model years are largely under recall for the passenger side only. The 2007-2009 B-Series expansion is for passenger-side inflators.
McLaren
Which cars are under recalls? A large Takata expansion in January 2017 added the 2012 McLaren MP4-12C to the list.
Which airbag inflators are in the recall? The passenger-side inflator.
Mitsubishi
Which cars are under recall? We originally reported that Mitsubishi was recalling 2004-2005 Lancer compact cars and 2006-2007 Raider pickup trucks. On May 28, 2015, Mitsubishi expanded the Lancer recall to include passenger airbag inflators on 2004-2006 models built from Aug. 4, 2003, through Aug. 28, 2006. The expansion also included Lancer Evolution models built from Feb. 11, 2004, through Sept. 1, 2006, and Lancer Sportback hatchbacks built from Aug. 4, 2003, to Jan. 23, 2004.
On May 27, 2015, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles expanded the Raider recall to include the 2006-2011 model years. The Raider is closely related to the Dodge Dakota and was built in affiliation with then-DaimlerChrysler (now FCA). Dodge is an FCA brand.
Previously, Mitsubishi "had a regional campaign going" on the Lancer, Fedorak said. "It's going to go to a national campaign now."
On May 27, 2016, Mitsubishi and FCA added the 2007 Lancer, including Lancer Evolution models built until June 19, 2007.
In January 2017, Mitsubishi expanded the recall to cover the 2012 and 2014 i-MiEV electric hatchbacks.
Which airbag inflators are in the recall? Both driver- and passenger-side inflators for the Lancer and Raider, but only the passenger-side inflator for the i-MiEV.
Nissan
Which cars are under recall? Nissan spokesman Steve Yaeger said Nissan has recalled all vehicles with defective Takata inflators: 2001-2003 Maxima sedans, 2001-2004 Pathfinder SUVs and 2002-2006 Sentra compact sedans, as well as 2001-2003 Infiniti I sedans, 2006 Infiniti M35/45 sedans, 2002-2003 QX4 SUVs and 2003 FX SUVs.
Many cars under the national recall are also under regional campaigns, but 2004 Infiniti I's, 2006 M's and 2004-2005 FXs appear to still be under regional campaigns only.
"There is significant overlap between national recalls and regional (high humidity) populations," Yaeger wrote in an email. The regional campaigns included "just over 100,000 vehicles" that weren't in the national campaign.
On May 29, 2015, Nissan told NHTSA its existing recalls covered the agency's May 19 expansion.
Nissan made a host of additions on May 27, 2016, all for passenger-side airbags. Some of them are for cars that are already under recall for driver-side airbags. Most them are new, however, including the 2006-2008 Infiniti FX, 2007-2010 Infiniti M and 2007-2011 Nissan Versa. Regulators initially restricted many of the May 27 additions — particularly for later model years — to more humid regions of the country. But NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national, so if you see your car on this list, it will likely be recalled at some point regardless of location.
In January 2017, Nissan expanded the recall to add the 2012 Versa hatchback. (Many of the expansion-covered models are already under recall as automakers expand the scope or geographic region of recalls within a given model year, add different inflators or recall replacement inflators.)
In July 2017, Nissan added the 2007-11 Versa sedan and 2007-12 Versa hatchback with a new type of inflator in the driver-side airbag. They have an inflator containing a desiccant, or drying agent, to protect the propellant from degradation. These inflators are not covered under the massive phased recall of all non-desiccated inflators and were thought to be safe, but Takata recently found one group of those to be potentially dangerous, as well, and issued a recall.
Which airbag inflators are in the recall? Driver- and passenger-side airbag inflators are involved, depending on the model.
Subaru
Which cars are under recall? On May 28, 2015, Subaru expanded its Takata recalls to include all 2004 and 2005 Subaru Imprezas built from Jan. 28, 2003, to May 31, 2005. Previously, the 2004-2005 Impreza was under recall only in areas of high absolute humidity.
Subaru spokesman Michael McHale told us the expansion doesn't affect Subaru's Takata campaigns on the 2003-2008 Legacys and Outbacks, and 2003-2005 Bajas. NHTSA expanded the pool on Dec. 23 to include the 2006-2008 Legacys and Outbacks. All recalls are national in scope.
Subaru made a host of additions on May 27, 2016, all for passenger-side airbags. Some of the additions are for cars listed above that were previously missed. Most them are new, however, including the 2006 Baja, 2006-2011 Impreza, 2009-2011 Legacy and Outback, 2006-2011 Tribeca and 2009-2011 Forester. Regulators initially restricted many of the May 27 additions — particularly for later model years — to more humid regions of the country. But NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national, so if you see your car on this list, it will likely be recalled at some point regardless of location.
If you have an Impreza-based WRX or WRX STI for the Impreza's model years listed above, chances are it's also under recall. Subaru confirmed as much in a major January 2017 expansion that also added 2012 model-year versions of the Tribeca, Forester, Legacy, Outback and WRX (but not the 2012 Impreza). (Many of the expansion-covered models were already under previous recall as automakers expand the scope or geographic region of recalls within a given model year, add different inflators or recall replacement inflators.)
Which airbag inflators are under recall? Passenger-side airbag inflators on all cars.
Tesla
Which cars are under recall? An expansion of Takata recalls in May 2016 added Tesla to the list; regulators later announced that the 2012 Model S was part of the recall, though the 2013-2016 Model S employs Takata inflators that will be recalled at some point. (As of Jan. 19, 2017, only the 2012 Model S was under recall.)
Which airbags are under recall? For the 2012 Model S, the recall involves the passenger-side airbag inflator.
Toyota
Which cars are under recall? Including expansions on June 16, 2015, March 2, 2016, and May 24, 2016, Toyota’s Takata recalls for any airbag inflator now encompass the 2003-2011 Corolla and Matrix, 2003-2006 Tundra, 2002-2007 Sequoia, 2004-2005 RAV4, 2006-2011 Yaris, 2010-2011 4Runner, 2011 Sienna, 2008-2011 Scion xB, 2007-2011 Lexus ES, 2010-2011 Lexus GX, 2006-2011 Lexus IS and 2002-2010 Lexus SC. (Lexus is Toyota’s luxury division, while Scion is a discontinued Toyota brand.)
Toyota spokeswoman Cindy Knight said on June 17, 2015, that "not every single vehicle of the model year" listed will actually be recalled, but a Cars.com analysis in 2015 of Toyota's self-reported recall totals versus Automotive News sales data for the respective model years suggests that the vast majority of cars in the recalled years will, in fact, be recalled. Owners in regions with high absolute humidity may receive unique regional recall notices instead of national ones, but Knight said the repairs are the same.
Toyota made a host of additions on May 27, 2016, all for passenger-side airbags. All of the additions are for cars listed above that were previously missed. Regulators initially restricted many of the May 27 additions — particularly for later model years — to more humid regions of the country, but NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national, so if you see your car on this list, it will likely be recalled at some point regardless of location.
An additional expansion came in January 2017, when Toyota added the 2012 model-year versions of the Scion xB and Toyota 4Runner, Corolla, Matrix, Sienna and Yaris. The automaker also added model-year 2012 versions of the Lexus IS (including the IS convertible and IS-F high-performance sedan), ES 350, GX and LFA. (Many of the expansion-covered models are already under recall as automakers expand the scope or geographic region of recalls within a given model year, add different inflators or recall replacement inflators.)
Which airbag inflators are under recall? The 2004-2005 RAV4 is under a driver-side recall. All others are under a passenger-side recall. Toyota advises owners with unrepaired recalls in the latter group to keep passengers out of the front passenger seat.
VW Group
Which cars are under recall? NHTSA said its Jan. 22, 2016, recall expansion would add both VW and Audi — the first time the Takata recalls involved the Volkswagen Group, which includes Audi. Volkswagen responded on Feb. 10 with recalls for the 2006-2014 Passat sedan and wagon, 2012-2014 Eos convertible, 2010-2014 Golf hatchback and 2009-2014 CC sedan. Meanwhile, Audi recalled the 2005-2015 A3, 2006-2009 A4 convertible, 2009-2012 Q5 SUV and 2010-2011 A5 convertible.
On June 2, 2016, Volkswagen Group recalled the 2004-2008 Audi A4 and 2005-2011 Audi A6 for passenger-side Takata airbag inflators. The cars being recalled are based on how humid it is where you live, but NHTSA plans to expand the recall to eventually become national. If you see your car listed above, it'll likely become recalled at some point regardless of location.
An additional expansion came in January 2017, when the Volkswagen Group added the 2007-2009 Audi S4 convertible and S6 sedan, as well as the 2005-2008 S4 sedan and wagon, 2007-2008 RS 4 sedan and 2008 RS 4 convertible. (Many of the expansion-covered models are already under recall as automakers expand the scope or geographic region of recalls within a given model year, add different inflators or recall replacement inflators.)
Which airbag inflators are under recall? Depending on the car, the driver-side or passenger-side airbag inflator.
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What's at issue? Takata's recall crisis stems from faulty airbag inflators, which have a propellant that's been found to degrade over time and can inflate with too much force, spewing shrapnel into car occupants. They've been linked to 11 U.S. deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide.
Are most of the recalled cars still in humid regions only? It depends on the specific car. Regulators say the risk is greatest in areas of high absolute humidity, a factor that’s been linked to inflator degradation. NHTSA has said it wants to make all regional recalls national, but in the wake of a massive expansion of passenger-side airbag recalls in May 2016, automakers have based their Takata expansions on geographic zones of humidity, with older cars under recall in larger areas and newer cars under recall in only the most humid zones. But NHTSA says it will eventually expand those recalls to national status, so if you see your car anywhere on this list, there’s a good chance it will be under recall at some point regardless of where you live.
How do I know if my car is under recall? If you see your car on any of the lists above, it could be under recall, but it won't always be. At least three major automakers under Takata recall (FCA, Honda and Toyota) said not every car in a listed model year could actually be under recall.
That said, the May 19, 2015 announcement suggests more cars in a given year should have recalls. That's because NHTSA is pushing for nationwide recalls instead of regional ones, and some cars, like the Mitsubishi Lancer, have expanded their recall status to entire model years instead of a range of manufacture dates.
If the recall on your car is still specific to a manufacture date, most cars show that (by the month, at least) on a sticker in the driver’s doorjamb. You can also check your VIN on NHTSA's recall look-up site, safercar.gov/vinlookup, but it could take some time before the expanded Takata recalls are reflected there.
"It generally takes anywhere from a few days to several weeks for automakers to gather individual VINs associated with a recall," NHTSA's website said as of May 20, 2015. "It is important that you check back periodically as a recall on your vehicle may not show up immediately."
How do I find my VIN? It’s etched under your windshield at the bottom of the driver side. Watch our video for more information.
Will repairs take longer if you live in a non-humid region? Most likely. "All the recalls are national recalls," previous NHTSA spokesman Gordon Trowbridge said. But "in some cases, they [automakers] will begin by addressing high-humidity areas and more [repairs] to additional geographic zones at our direction."
What about people who already got their cars repaired? Some owners might need to have their cars serviced again, Trowbridge said. Takata's consent order from NHTSA confirms at least six separate Takata airbag inflators requiring replacement, in some cases for "inflators previously installed as remedy parts." Already, BMW and FCA said that's the case for subsequent recall expansions.
Other owners won't need additional repairs. Mitsubishi's Fedorak said owners who have already received repairs are "good … [and] they don't have to be recalled again."
I have one of these cars. Should I stop driving it? Not according to NHTSA. Administrator Mark Rosekind told The New York Times that owners still "need to drive their cars," but they should check regularly with dealers to ensure defective airbag inflators are fixed "as soon as possible." Rosekind cautioned that all of the sought-after repairs could take years to complete.
The danger of a rupture takes "several years of exposure to persistent conditions of high absolute humidity," Takata said in a consent order filed by NHTSA. But that could also vary depending on vehicle design and manufacturing, Takata said.
I got my airbag fixed and it still looks the same. Why isn't it different? Remember, the Takata recall specifically involves the airbag inflator, not the airbag itself. Some automakers replace only the inflator, which is usually mounted to the backside of the airbag assembly, while others replace the entire assembly, including the inflator. In either case, it's unlikely the plastic housing over the front of the airbag — what you see from the outside — has been replaced as part of the procedure. That's why it may appear that you still have your old airbag.
