Exclusive: US opens investigation of 30 million vehicles into airbag inflators

WASHINGTON, Sept. 19 (Reuters) – U.S. auto safety investigators have opened a new investigation into 30 million vehicles built by nearly two dozen automakers with potentially defective Takata airbag inflators, according to a government document viewed by Reuters.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on Friday opened a technical analysis on approximately 30 million U.S. vehicles from model years 2001 to 2019. Automakers were alerted to the investigation, which is not yet public, on Friday.

The new survey includes vehicles assembled by Honda Motor Co (7267.T), Ford Motor Co (FN), Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), General Motors Co (GM.N), Nissan Motor (7201.T), Subaru (7270.T), Tesla (TSLA.O), Ferrari NV, Nissan Motor (TAMO.NS), Mazda (7261.T), Daimler AG (DAIGn.DE), BMW (BMWG.DE) Chrysler (now part by Stellantis NV (STLA.MI)), Porsche Cars (PSHG_p.DE), Jaguar Land Rover (owned by Tata Motors (TAMO.NS)) and others.

The automakers declined to comment ahead of NHTSA’s announcement on Sunday or did not immediately respond to requests for comment. NHTSA did not immediately comment.

Reporting by David Shepardson; edited by Diane Craft

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