Hawaii Sues Takata, Honda Over Exploding Air-Bag Inflaters
May 15 2016 - 10:10PM
Dow Jones News
HONOLULU—The state of Hawaii is suing Japanese manufacturer
Takata over defective air bags it says threaten peoples' lives.
The lawsuit filed Friday in the First Circuit Court of Hawaii
also names auto manufacturer Honda.
Millions of Takata's air bags have been recalled because their
inflaters can explode, spewing shrapnel in cars. Hawaii is the
first state in the nation to sue over the air bags, which are
blamed for at least 11 deaths world-wide and more than 100
injuries.
Independent reports have concluded that a chemical used in
Takata air bags—ammonium nitrate—can degrade when exposed to heat
and humidity, which can trigger explosions.
"We're particularly vulnerable here in Hawaii to the defect that
Takata has manufactured…we're not going to wait until something
like this happens," said Stephen Levins, executive director of the
Hawaii Office of Consumer Protection.
Takata switched to ammonium nitrate, a cheaper component for the
inflater of the company's air bags, despite the fact that it was
widely known to be an unstable and dangerous chemical, Levins said.
Honda was in a position where the company should have known what
was going on, Levins said.
"Clearly Takata has engaged in a deceptive manner in marketing
this, and actually has put profits, their own profits, over the
personal welfare and safety of people around the United States, and
around the world, and people here in Hawaii." Levins said. "It's a
situation that's intolerable, and we're not going to put up with
it."
A call to Takata's office in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon
wasn't returned.
Honda hasn't yet received the lawsuit so it can't comment, Chris
Martin, a spokesman for American Honda Co., said in an email.
Martin said Honda is cooperating with the government on the Takata
air-bag inflater issue.
More than 70,000 cars containing Takata air bags have been sold
in Hawaii, according to the complaint. The state is seeking
penalties of $10,000 per violation.
Earlier this month, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration said it was adding up to 40 million air bags to the
continuing recall of 28.8 million air bags made by Takata.
"The dealerships have the obligation to fix this…Unfortunately,
they don't have sufficient quantities of parts on hand right now,"
Levins said.
People can check whether their car is subject to the recall by
visiting the federal website www.safercar.gov.
â "Copyright 2016 The Associated Press.
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
May 15, 2016 21:55 ET (01:55 GMT)
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