As more inflator production becomes available from other suppliers, automakers will abandon Takata.
The curse of the deadly Takata airbag inflators continues as Mazda expands its Takata recalls to more than 300,000 Mazda6 and RX-8 models from 2003-2008. It turns out that the replacement parts from a previous recall are also potentially defective. The remedy part is an air bag inflator manufactured by a different part supplier – unnamed – that is free from the “phased stabilized ammonium nitrate” Takata uses. New part number GJYC-57K80 for Mazda6, Mazdaspeed6 and RX-8.
In the original recall on 2 June 2015 after a Takata NHTSA submission, Mazda decided to conduct recall campaign on 2003-2008MY Mazda6, 2004-2008MY RX-8 and 2006-2007MY Mazdaspeed6 equipped with PSDI-4 frontal driver side air bag inflators.
On 25 July 2017, Mazda decided to replace PSDI-4 inflators to “upgrade the replacement Parts” with a non-PSAN frontal driver side air bag inflator. (Translation the original replacement parts are a safety hazard as well) The new recall also includes un-repaired vehicles under the original safety defect recall 15V382.
It turns out according to Mazda, “the batwing-shaped propellant wafers in some of the subject inflators may experience an alteration over time, which could potentially lead to overaggressive combustion in the event of an air bag deployment. Depending on the circumstances, this potential condition could create excessive internal pressure when the air bag is deployed, which could result in the body of the inflator rupturing upon deployment.”
