What does Takata's bankruptcy mean for car owners?

SAN ANTONIO – After a costly scandal over exploding airbags, the Japanese auto-parts supplier Takata has filed for bankruptcy.

It was an expected move, and one the company said was necessary to continue to make replacement airbags.

Takata airbags are blamed for at least 16 deaths and 180 injuries after defective airbag inflators exploded, spraying fiery shards of metal.

More than 42 million vehicles were equipped with the parts, triggering the massive recall.

So far, automakers have replaced about 38 percent of them, meaning millions are still on the roads.

Takata may be bankrupt, but the recalls and repairs will continue. Dealerships have been racing to swap the defective parts for safe ones as rival airbag makers have been supplying many of the replacements at the automakers' expense.

Dealers will continue to notify owners when they are eligible for repairs, but older cars in hot, humid climates get priority.

To find out if your car is under recall, get your 17 digit vehicle-identification number and use it to search safecar.gov.

If yours is recalled, contact your dealer for a timetable for a repair.

Millions more Takata airbags will continue to be recalled through at least 2019, the repairs even longer.

Takata is likely to get new ownership. Chinese-owned Key Safety Systems has agreed to buy Takata's main assets.

Takata has a subsidiary in San Antonio that makes seat belts.

 

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About the Author:

Marilyn Moritz is an award-winning journalist dedicated to digging up information that can make people’s lives a little bit better. As KSAT’S 12 On Your Side Consumer reporter, she focuses on exposing scams and dangerous products and helping people save money.