Takata, the Japanese airbag manufacturer tied to faulty airbags in millions of U.S. automobiles, has widened the scale of its product recalls to include 34 million vehicles. The announcement was made late in May. If you or someone you love has been injured – or is injured in the future – by a faulty airbag or any other defective vehicle part, discuss your rights and options immediately with a Pasadena product liability attorney.

Some of the airbags manufactured by Takata can explode violently upon deployment, spraying metal fragments directly at the driver and passengers. Last year, one Florida woman’s throat was sliced, and Orlando-area police actually launched a murder investigation – until a recall notice arrived in her mailbox and police re-examined her vehicle. A total of six deaths and more than 100 injuries have been linked to the airbag defect, according to the New York Times.

Takata’s airbag problems are nothing new. Fifteen years ago, customers filed complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration citing airbag problems in models with Takata airbags. Eight years later, Honda recalled more than 4,000 cars with defective Takata airbags, and six months after that, the company recalled another 510,000 vehicles.

If your vehicle is recalled for any reason, take it immediately to the nearest dealership, and you should be offered a repair or replacement at no cost. When your vehicle is recalled, it is not safe to drive, so you might want to consider hiring a tow truck instead of driving. Always keep your vehicle thoroughly maintained, and let a certified mechanic inspect your vehicle if anything seems not quite right. If you’ve been injured – or if you’re injured in the future – because of a defective part or a defective vehicle in southern California, take your case at once to an experienced Pasadena personal injury attorney.