The unsolved mystery of the exploding air bags - USA TODAY
The unsolved mystery of the exploding air bags Charlene Weaver, a special education teacher, died 12 years ago in a Phoenix car accident when the air bag in her boyfriend's Subaru Impreza sprayed pieces of metal into her head. ly/1z881rE Correction: This story has been modified from a previous version to remove references to a fatal accident and its possible connection to malfunctioning air bags. According to autopsy records, injuries sustained in the accident are not consistent with shrapnel wounds suffered in fatalities linked to a federal investigation into Takata air bags. After months of testing by air bag maker Takata and an independent panel of engineers, there's still no clear answer why some air bags are blamed for killing drivers after being triggered and spraying metal shrapnel. Ten automakers, including the Detroit Three, are involved in a massive recall of 17 million vehicles with Takata air bags. Other air bag manufacturers use less-volatile chemicals, but they cost more. Chemicals are key to how an air bag operates. When the car's sensors detect an imminent crash, the inflator — like a rocket booster — sets off a chemical charge to produce nitrogen gas that fills the air bag like a pillow. Source: www.usatoday.com
