about, airbags exploding firing metal shards into passengers with so much force police say some victims look like they ve been shot. that s allegedly what happened to cory burdic. his lawyer says when he had a minor accident in florida the airbag should have protected him. instead it exploded and sent a three and a half inch piece of steel into his face taking out one of his eyes. reporter: now federal authorities are saying enough. launching a recall of 34 million cars nearly double the original number thought to be involved. the airbag inflaters we suspected did not work correctly. and we believe they have been responsible for at least five deaths in the united states. reporter: the airbag manufacturer is the japanese company takata. and for months the company tried to limit the recall saying the problem was appearing only in areas with high humidity. the government didn t buy it. pounding takata with more than $1 million in fines. up until now takata has
amount first thought to be involved. we believe that they have been responsible for at least five deaths in the united states. the air bag manufacturer is the japanese company, takata. for months the company tried to limit the recall saying the problem was appearing only in areas with high humidity and the government didn t buy it pounding takata with more than $1 million in fines. up until now takata has refused to acknowledge that their airbags are defective, and that changes today. the most serious accidents have occurred in hondas but the recall also occurs in 11 other manufacturers and parts suppliers, and there could be more. how long is it going to take? nobody knows that yet. there could be a question that it could be years. they do not know why the airbags are exploding.
front of his 17-year-old son. so yes, the fact that takata headquartered here in tokyo, a major air bag manufacturer with its products in tens of millions of cars around the world, the fact that this company is taking financial responsibility legal responsibility saying that yes, their air bags are defective, it gives you a sense of the true scope of this problem. 1 in 7 vehicles in the united states potentially affected. they still don t know exactly what triggers this defect that causes the air bags to explode to shoot shrapnel at people effectively giving the effect of an explosive device. what drivers can do is put their vin number in a tool that the nhtsa has posted type in your vin, so you ll know if your vehicle is affected by this or others that go back 15 years. very important for drivers to do that to find out if their car is
now he s horribly disfigured, unfortunately. the air bag manufacturer is the japanese company takata, one of the biggest in the world the for months, takata has tried to limit the recall saying the accidents occur only in areas with very high humidity. the government, unsatisfied with such claims, pounded takata with more than $1 million in fines. up until now, takata has refused to acknowledge that their air bags are defective. that changes today. the most serious accident so far have involved hondas, but the recall involves fords, chryslers, mazdas, bmws, in all, 11 manufacturers and parts suppliers so far and the recall process could be a long one. the big question is how long is this going to take? nobody knows that yet. there is no question, it could be some years. the manufacturer issued a statement saying it remains committed to consumer safety, but like the government, it does not yet know why the air bags are exploding. although takata has devoted some
one of his eyes. now he is horribly disfigured unfortunately. reporter: the air bag manufacturer is the japanese company takata, one of the biggest in the world. and for months takata has tried to limit the recall saying the accidents occur only in areas with very high humidity. the government unsatisfied with such claims, pounded takata with more than a million dollars in fines. up until now, takata has refused to acknowledge that their air bags are defective. that changes today. reporter: the most serious accident so far have involved hondas. but the recall also involves fords, chrysler mazdas bmws, in all, 11 manufacturers and part suppliers so far. and the recall process could be a long one. the big question is how long is this going to take? nobody knows that yet there is no question, it could be some years. reporter: the manufacturer issued a statement saying it remains committed to consumer safety but like the government it does not yet know why the air bags are explod