Takata air bag recall expanded

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It’s the largest recall in U.S. automotive history.

The American transportation department has announced that Japanese air bag manufacturer Takata will nearly double an ongoing air bag recall to 34 million vehicles. Secretary Anthony Foxx says the goal is to fix every defective air bag in every vehicle, but admits it will take time. “Lives are at stake, it’s our job to protect them.”

Defective inflators in driver and passenger-side air bags are being blamed for at least a half a dozen deaths in the U.S., and dozens of injuries. The number of Canadian vehicles involved in the recall isn’t known. A search for Takata on Transport Canada’s website comes up empty.

Takata air bags are used by about a dozen automakers, including GM, Ford, Chrysler, Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Subaru, and Mazda.