US won’t recall 56M Takata air bag inflators

DETROIT — The U.S. government’s highway safety agency will not force automakers to recall 56 million newer Takata air bag inflators, citing industry research that shows the devices are safe.

Instead, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday it will keep monitoring the devices and take action if necessary.

At least 25 people have been killed worldwide by Takata inflators and more than 300 have been injured. Problems with the company’s products touched off the largest string of automotive recalls in U.S. history with around 50 million inflators recalled. About 100 million are being recalled worldwide.

The decision announced Thursday involves newer inflators that contain a moisture-absorbing chemical. It means that millions of drivers will never know if they have Takata inflators in their vehicles, nor will they be repaired unless problems surface. It also means that up to 19 auto companies will avoid the huge expense of additional recalls.

Takata had used the volatile chemical ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. But it was discovered that the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to high heat and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and hurling shrapnel into drivers and passengers.

After multiple problems surfaced with the inflators starting in the early 2000s, Takata added a chemical, called a dessicant, to absorb moisture and keep the ammonium nitrate dry. The bankrupt company had until the end of last year to prove the newer inflators were safe or NHTSA would force them to be recalled.

NHTSA did find problems with some of the dessicated inflators and is making Volkswagen recall about 370,000 Passat and Beetle cars from the 2012 through at least 2016 model years. The phased recall will start in December.

While the agency found that most of the inflators with the dessicant are safe, testing showed that the type used by Volkswagen could pose a safety risk “starting as soon as four years from now,” NHTSA said.