Japanese airbag maker Takata files for bankruptcy, overwhelmed by recalls

Japanese airbag maker Takata Corp. filed for bankruptcy protection in Tokyo and the U.S. on Monday, saying it was the only way to ensure it could carry on supplying replacements for faulty airbag inflators linked to the deaths of at least 16 people.

Filing for bankruptcy was the only way company could ensure it could continue to supply replacements for faulty airbag inflators, said Takata’s president.

Takata and the automakers were slow to address the problem with the inflators despite reports of deaths and injuries. Eventually they were forced to recall tens of millions of vehicles. The scope of the recall means some car owners face lengthy waits for replacement parts, meanwhile driving cars with airbags that could malfunction in a crash.

The defect in the inflators stems from use of the explosive chemical ammonium nitrate in the inflators to deploy airbags in a crash. The chemical can deteriorate when exposed to hot and humid air and burn too fast, blowing apart a metal canister.