300

Make
Chrysler
Segment
Sedan

There has been yet another Takata airbag-related fatality, this time in a Chrysler 300. This news comes shortly after a Honda Accord driver was killed earlier this month due to the same issue.

The Takata airbag scandal has been an ongoing debacle since a Ford Ranger driver was killed in 2006. Now, 16 years later, another has died due to faulty Takata airbags.

The NHTSA has been issuing warning after warning, and it seems as if motorists don't care or understand how dangerous the situation really is. The latest death is the fifth in the US this year, takes the total death count up to 24 in the US, and is the 36th death worldwide since 2009.

A total of 350 serious injuries have also been reported.

According to reports, the deceased driver had borrowed the car from a family member, which closely resembled the accident that killed the Honda Accord driver earlier this month.

The carmaker contacted both owners several times to have their airbags checked and replaced. An international investigation in 2013 revealed that Takata airbags (the company has since closed its doors) would degrade over time, but that's not all; the airbags would deploy metal shrapnel, almost like a hand grenade, on deployment.

Since 2013, over 100 million cars have had their airbags replaced due to the recall. Despite their best efforts, manufacturers say there are still hordes of vehicles driving with defective Takata airbags.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the driver of the 2010 Chrysler 300C was killed in July 2022 due to the car's Takata airbag inflator rupturing during a crash.

According to Chrysler, the manufacturer attempted to contact the owner 114 times over seven years to correct the problem.

The NHTSA issued a 'Do Not Drive' notice for cars built by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles between 2005 and 2010, including the Chrysler 300C. Consumer reports estimate that 11 million vehicles on US roads still drive with potentially deadly airbags.