1.7 million vehicles with risky Takata air bags unrepaired in Japan

August 31, 2017

TOKYO- Some 1.7 million vehicles subject to recalls in Japan have not gone through repair even though they are mounted with defective Takata Corp. air bags with a high risk of abnormal ruptures, a government survey has shown.

The transport ministry plans to stop these vehicles from passing mandatory periodic vehicle safety inspections from May 2018 by revising relevant regulations.

Under the current rules, vehicles with defective air bags are not considered to be violating safety standards even if their defects are unrepaired. Public opinions will be sought for the revision until Sept. 29 this year.

Recalls have been filed for more than 18.83 million vehicles with defective Takata air bags so far in Japan. Of them, slightly over 4.12 million units had not gone through repair as of the end of July, according to the ministry.

Of the vehicles with unrepaired air bags, 1.7 million carry very dangerous Takata air bags that have inflators with manufacturing defects and are the same models as those that exploded abnormally in Japan, the ministry said. Jiji Press