Woman Maimed by Defective Air Bag at Center of Worldwide Recall

A woman from Cumming is involved in a huge recall of air bags after a defective device malfunctioned and caused her disfigurement.

According to WSB-TV, Brandi Brewer gently rear-ended another car in heavy traffic on Ga. 400 in October 2013. Normally, it would have been nothing but a scrape on the bumper, but the Takata air bag in Brewer’s 2013 Chevy Cruze exploded anyway. (WARNING: graphic image at link)

The air bag detached from the steering column, deflated, and flew into the back seat of the Cruze. As a result of the malfunction, which shot shrapnel into the car, Brewer lost her left eye.

Defective Takata air bags have caused at two deaths and 30 injuries in Honda vehicles, and the New York Times reports that there have been at least 139 injuries attributed to the air bags. Takata air bags are installed in dozens of automobile makes and models, and the recall has affected more than 24 million vehicles across the world.

Takata initially bristled against the recall and allegations of defective products, calling the New York Times allegations “fundamentally accurate.”

Brewer and her attorney claim that the Takata recall is not sufficient, and are pressing for stronger and wider actions to prevent drivers and passengers’ lives.

According to Car and Driver, some Toyota dealerships were instructed to disable passenger side air bags in affected vehicles and place large “Do Not Sit Here” signs on the dashboard when replacement parts became scarce in October.

CNN reports that Takata uses ammonium nitrate to inflate air bags sealed in metal canisters in case of accidents. Significant temperature changes from hot to cold can destabilize ammonium nitrate and cause the metal canister to explode and send shrapnel into the car like a shotgun at the slightest contact with another vehicle; Investigators who have investigated deaths caused by the airbags have said that it looked like the victims had been shot or stabbed.

Takata has announced that, instead of submitting to a nationwide recall of its air bags, it will open an independent panel of six members to investigate the company’s manufacturing methods and to recommend best practices for the company going forward. Takata’s president Stefan Stocker stepped down on Dec. 24, and three high level directors of the company voted themselves pay cuts of up to 50 percent.