Volvo has bad luck: almost half a million cars back for airbags | Financial

The inflation mechanism of the airbags can malfunction if the so-called propellant element is exposed to moisture and high temperatures. This could cause cracks, the Swedish carmaker reported to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

The car manufacturer recalls two car models to the garage. These are the S60 and S80 sedans that the company produced between May 2000 and March 2009. More than half of the recall concerns cars sold in the United States. It is not yet known whether the Netherlands is one of the countries where cars must be returned to the garage. A spokesperson for Volvo Netherlands was not immediately available for comment.

Fatal victim

In an explanation to the NHTSA, Volvo reports that there is at least one known case in which the defect has led to a fatal road accident. The Swedish company did not make any statements about the estimated costs.

The defect at Volvo is comparable to the problems that the airbags of the Japanese Takata had previously had. That company had to replace 100 million airbags worldwide. Many millions are still in cars that drive on the road.

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