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Houston Airbag Defects: Key Facts How Takata Airbags Fail Save the Vehicle Before It Is Gone Contact Our Houston Office Frequently Asked QuestionsTHE LAW GIANT product liability lawyers:
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Automakers once singled out Greater Houston for a special airbag recall campaign. Many recalled vehicles are still on the road. When an airbag explodes or fails, the vehicle itself is the most important evidence, and it can disappear fast.
Call The Law Giant at 956-982-1800 or contact us online for a free consultation. You pay nothing unless we win.
Houston Airbag Defects: Key Facts
- NHTSA has confirmed 28 U.S. deaths from exploding Takata airbag inflators. At least 400 more people have allegedly been injured, according to the agency’s Takata recall page.
- Two of the first 10 U.S. Takata deaths were in the Houston area. KPRC reported in 2016, when a local recall campaign said 68% of recalled vehicles in Houston were still unrepaired.
- Automakers launched a 2018 outreach campaign aimed at Houston drivers. They said the risk was particularly acute in Greater Houston because of heat and humidity.
- In February 2026, FCA told owners of about 225,000 unrepaired vehicles not to drive them. The warning covers Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles with Takata recalls.
How Takata Airbags Fail
NHTSA places Texas in its hot and humid Zone A. Over time, heat and humidity break down the propellant in Takata inflators. When the airbag deploys, the propellant can burn too fast, burst the metal inflator and throw fragments at the driver or passenger.
Airbag claims also arise when an airbag:
- Fails to deploy in a crash where it should have.
- Deploys late, striking an occupant who has already moved forward.
- Deploys without a crash, causing a driver to lose control.
Older vehicles carry more risk, NHTSA says, because older airbags are more likely to explode.
Save the Vehicle Before It Is Gone
After a crash, insurers often total a vehicle and sell it for salvage within weeks. Once it is crushed, the inflator, airbag module and crash data recorder are gone.
When the Duty to Preserve Begins
In Wal-Mart v. Johnson (2003), the Texas Supreme Court said the duty to preserve evidence arises when a party knows or reasonably should know there is a substantial chance a claim will be filed. A written preservation letter helps create that knowledge.
Steps We Take
- Preservation letters to your insurer, the tow yard, the salvage buyer and the automaker.
- Securing the vehicle, buying it back from salvage if needed.
- Downloading crash data with the right tools and with all parties notified.
- Collecting medical records that show fragment wounds or injuries the airbag should have prevented.
Contact Our Houston Office
Our Houston office is at 2450 Fondren Rd. If you were hurt by an airbag, do not let the vehicle be scrapped before you talk to us. See our Houston product liability, car accident and wrongful death pages. For statewide rules, see our Texas auto defect page.
Call 956-982-1800. You pay nothing unless we win.
Common Questions
Houston Auto Defect FAQs
My airbag sent metal fragments into the car. What should I do?
Get medical care, keep the vehicle and any fragments, and call a lawyer before the insurer sells the car for salvage.
My insurer totaled my car. Can I still bring an airbag claim?
Possibly, if the vehicle can still be located. Send a preservation letter right away and ask the insurer to hold the vehicle.
How do I know if my car has a Takata recall?
Enter your VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. If it shows an open airbag recall, get the free repair right away.
My airbag did not deploy in a serious crash. Is that a defect?
Not always. Airbags are designed to deploy only in certain crashes. An engineer can review the crash data to tell whether it should have deployed.
How long do I have after a Houston airbag injury?
Generally two years from the injury, but evidence can be lost in days. Call as soon as you can.
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