by "Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
Published 06/24/2017 at 09:43
by "Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
Published 06/24/2017 at 09:43
No Tags
STARS: 2
I’ve seen many recent articles about Takata declaring bankruptcy. I’ve been encouraged to write our politicians about so few of the cars having been repaired. I’m amazed that I was one of the 2% of Audi owners involved to get a replacement. VAG took it to the next level by having some of their involved replacements engineered by one of the other airbag makers. Ford hasn’t been as good to me despite the fact that they sent me a notification first and many months before. During the past two years its made me think more and more about what vehicles we buy and what dangers we might accept by making that purchase. I’ve called the dealership many times and they can’t even give me a future promise date of when I’ll be on the order list. Recently I found this article below. It makes me wonder how many people have been killed by bean counters? Has anyone ever tried to quantify this? I guess on my next purchase I’m be looking at all the recent recalls and trying to pick a manufacturer who is least involved in all this crap. It might take numberous spread sheets and a bank of computers to siphon through the BS and come up with anyone we can truly believe cares about our safety.
https://www.cars.com/articles/which-new-cars-still-have-takata-airbag-inflators-1420689912742/
Below is the New York Times article that places partial blame on GM for being one of the first to ignore test reports that Takata bag designs were unsafe and use them just because they were cheaper. They were cheaper for a reason. Today I saw reports that Honda might be lawsuited for doing just the same thing. There are about 4 other airbag companies in the world who will have to pick up the slack when Takata is gone. The design and testing of each bag for each car model by other companies will likely take years and this recall could continue into the middle of the next decade at the present replacement rate. I hope by the grace of God that the CEOs realize pinching pennies on safety items isn’t prudent as they shell out money to fix this huge debacle. Maybe if one day one of these corporate head honchos has a family member killed by such a decision, things will change. Until then we have to just hope for the best or maybe its time for us all to all write our politicians.
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/27/business/takata-airbag-recall-crisis.html
"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
06/24/2017 at 10:46, STARS: 1
Almost certainly the same thing as Ford Pinto - a decision, deep in the bowels of various corporations, that it’s cheaper to pay out on wrongful death/product defect cases than to fix what’s wrong.
"jimz" (jimz)
06/24/2017 at 10:54, STARS: 1
It’s a simple matter of logistics. Takata still has to supply regular production quantities to assembly plants, and have now been tasked to supply service/repair parts at a >100% replacement rate, when the typical rate of service part production is less than 1%.
And not, other suppliers can’t “pick up the slack” overnight. They have to design a new part with their own propellants which have to both 1) fit in place of the original takata part, and perform/deploy the same despite the different propellant. That takes time.
Below is the New York Times article that places partial blame on GM
Honestly fuck the NYT. GM may have ignored a competing supplier’s warning. Honda actively ignored/didn’t disclose failed units and injuries/deaths from the defect. But it’s typical of the useless shitheads who make up the NYT’s automotive beat to try to lay blame on GM.
"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
06/24/2017 at 11:00, STARS: 2
One of my uncles worked for Hoover Universal who manufactures metal items for home seating and bedding frames. They did car stuff at times in the past. There was an instance where a certain US manufacturer changed the tubing grade of a certain metal strength that was required for his design. People were injured from failures and it was discovered that a plant engineer thought my uncle’s metal choice was too expensive. They had to settle the lawsuits and my uncles choice was returned to all those design seat frames made after that. He appeared in court for GM, Ford and others as an expert witness on several cases where the it wasn’t the automakers fault. That was back in the days before so many cars started to be made with such cheap materials. It was in the days before crash testing progressed to the levels we have today.
"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
06/24/2017 at 11:10, STARS: 0
“They have to design a new part with their own propellants which have to both 1) fit in place of the original takata part, and perform/deploy the same despite the different propellant. That takes time.”
Thats why Audi/VW is so far behind in the percentage of replacement. They chose going back to one of the other companies. Likely AutoLiv but TRW or Dephi are also doing more bags now. I’m just wondering what Takata’s portion will be if they go belly up. The plants will get purchased by another company in most instances but I imagine this will slow any progress being made towards speedy replacements.
"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
06/24/2017 at 12:25, STARS: 0
That stinks, man. GM had ours replaced within 4 months of recall notification.
"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
06/24/2017 at 12:41, STARS: 0
Look no further than the clip where Clarkson and May dropped a Saab and a BMW on their respective roofs.
"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
06/24/2017 at 13:18, STARS: 0
I work in a GM parts department and I’ve been meaning to look for manufacturer info on the replacements. Doing a few again, so I need to look this week.
"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
06/24/2017 at 13:22, STARS: 2
That Saab was designed pre-GM ownership which might matter. I’ve owned a Saab 99EMS before, it was tough as hell.
"jimz" (jimz)
06/27/2017 at 14:12, STARS: 0
Takata’s operations are not going to go belly up, they filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Ch. 11 typically means you can stay in operation if you have the funds while you seek restructuring or someone to buy you out. Going “belly up” would be Chapter 7, which is liquidation. i.e. close up shop and sell anything of any value to pay creditors.
AFAIK they already have a buyer (Key Safety Systems) for their North American operations.
"Dave the car guy , still here" (a3dave)
06/27/2017 at 14:30, STARS: 0
Wrong choice of words. Takata as we know them will be history but parts of the operation will find new ownership from Key. Word is all the car manufacturers will be on the hook for a good part of the replacement expenses after Takata sells its operations.