U.S. regulators have linked another death to the hazardous Takata airbag inflators, marking the 28th fatality in the United States. The incident occurred in Alabama in 2018 involving a Honda vehicle, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, although no additional details were provided. The agency emphasized the importance of replacing recalled airbag inflators.

Takata’s use of ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion for inflating airbags can become problematic as the chemical deteriorates over time due to heat and humidity, leading to excessive force and potential explosion. This can cause metal canisters to rupture and send shrapnel into the vehicle’s interior. Over 400 people in the U.S. have been injured due to this issue.

Globally, at least 36 deaths have been attributed to Takata inflators in countries including Malaysia, Australia, and the U.S.

According to Honda, the incident in Alabama involved a 2004 Honda Civic and occurred in a high-speed crash, complicating the determination of the exact cause of death. Honda, which used the most Takata airbags among automakers, has replaced or accounted for 95% of the recalled inflators in its vehicles. The company urges Honda and Acura owners affected by the recalls to have their vehicles repaired at authorized dealerships as soon as possible.

Owners of Honda and Acura vehicles can check for recalls at www.recalls.honda.com and www.recalls.acura.com, or visit nhtsa.com/recalls to enter their vehicle identification or license plate numbers. The Takata airbag recall, the largest in U.S. history with at least 67 million inflators involved, has not been fully resolved, and around 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide. The issue contributed to Takata’s bankruptcy.