Nissan Expands Explosive Air Bag Recall by 226,000 Vehicles

Nissan has expanded a recall for cars containing explosive Takata air bags by 226,000 vehicles, bringing the total to 664,628.

The automaker is calling for repairs on certain vehicles from the Infiniti, Maxima, Pathfinder and Sentra brands that were produced for model years 2002 to 2004, the Associated Press reported.

Nissan isn't aware of any accidents or injuries linked with this recall, company spokesman Brian Brockman told the AP. For the recall, which is expected to start Aug. 11, dealers will replace problematic air bag inflators

The faulty air bags, which come from the Japanese supplier Takata, have been connected with the recalls of at least 10 million vehicles in recent years. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened a probe last month into more than a million vehicles from Toyota, Honda, Chrysler, Nissan and Mazda that were built with Takata parts.

Last April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration described the risk by saying "the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking and potentially seriously injuring the passenger seat occupant or other occupants," according to The Wall Street Journal.

Takata hasn't revealed how much the mounting number of recalls will cost the company. The supplier's lax recordkeeping has reportedly been an issue since Takata isn't positive which vehicles were built with the faulty air bags. The malfunctioning inflators are believed to contain propellant that was improperly stored and exposed to moisture.

The supplier has been cooperating with automakers and safety regulators.

"We will aim to further strengthen our quality control system and work united as a company to prevent problems from happening again," said Takata CEO Shigehisa Takada and Chief Operating Officer Stefan Stocker, as quoted by Reuters.

Nissan owners affected by the latest recall will be notified. They can also contact Nissan at 1-800-647-7261.