DETROIT, MI (AP)-- A person briefed on the matter says air bag maker Takata Corp. has agreed to declare 33.8 million of its inflator mechanisms defective, nearly doubling the number recalled in the U.S. so far.
The announcement was made Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which brokered the agreement. It’s the largest recall in agency history.
Many of Takata's air bags can explode with too much force, sending shrapnel into passengers. The air bags are responsible for six deaths worldwide and more than 100 injuries.
Automakers have recalled 17 million vehicles in the U.S. and more than 36 million worldwide because of the problem. Those numbers will grow by millions.