Chrysler is the next automaker to get pressure from federal regulators in relation to the disastrous Takata air bag recalls.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration told Fiat Chrysler Automobiles in a letter Tuesday that recalls for explosive Takata air bags need to be sped up by nearly three weeks, putting the start of the campaign on Dec. 1, according to Bloomberg News.
The faulty air bags can explode in the event of a crash, and 10 automakers have recalled around eight million vehicles manufactured with the Takata part.
"The consequences of these inflator failures are serious," NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman said in the agency's letter to Fiat Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne, as quoted by Bloomberg. "Metal fragments are propelled towards vehicle occupants with sufficient speed to cause serious injury or death."
The agency said that Takata, which is a major supplier of air bag systems, will ship replacement components to Chrysler on Dec. 1.
At a Senate hearing last week, a sixth fatality was reported in connection with the deadly air bags. Hiroshi Shimizu, Takata's senior vice president in charge of global quality assurance, said the company has confirmed three deaths and is investigating two more.
The NHTSA has called for a nationwide recall of vehicles equipped with Takata air bags, which have been subject to regional recalls so far. Moisture appears to exacerbate the condition, so vehicles have been recalled in high-humidity areas.
Chrysler recalls so far have only affected vehicles in Florida, Puerto Rico, Hawaii and the U.S. Virgin Islands, Reuters reported.
Honda has been under federal pressure as well. The NHTSA issued a special order to the automaker earlier this month to turn over documentation related to Takata air bag recalls.
Tokyo-based Takata said it has been manufacturing 300,000 replacement kits each month and should ramp that figure up to around 450,000 new components per month by January.
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