DETROIT (AP) - Japanese air bag maker Takata Corp. and 10 automakers have recalled 14 million vehicles worldwide for a problem with both driver and passenger side air bags, including 8 million in the U.S.
The air bags can inflate with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and sending shards flying at drivers and passengers.
The recalls have been limited to areas of high humidity, such as along the Gulf Coast. But the exact locations covered vary by automaker.
This can be confusing for car owners, some of whom have written lawmakers to say they're afraid to drive their cars.
On Tuesday, Takata declined a U.S. government demand to add about 8 million cars to a recall of driver's side air bags by broadening it to all 50 states. At least five deaths and dozens of injuries worldwide have been linked to the problem.
Here are some questions and answers about the recalls:
Q: How can I find out if my car has been recalled?
A: Dozens of models made by BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Mazda, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota dating to the 2001 model year are covered. You should have received a recall notice from your automaker. Also, you can go to www.safercar.gov and key in your vehicle identification number, which normally is printed on your registration and stamped on the dashboard. That will tell you if your car is being recalled. You can also call your dealer. Honda is Takata's largest customer, and has so far recalled over 5 million vehicles in the U.S. alone
Q: Why are some of the recalls just in areas with high humidity?
A: Government investigators and Takata officials believe that prolonged exposure to moisture in the air makes the inflator chemical, ammonium nitrate, burn too fast, creating too much pressure. That can cause the metal inflator canisters to shatter, spewing shrapnel into drivers and passengers. They're still conducting tests on inflators replaced by dealers to figure out what level of humidity causes the problem. Initially the recall areas were limited to Florida, Puerto Rico, areas near the Gulf of Mexico in Texas, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, and Louisiana, as well as Guam, Saipan, American Samoa, U.S. Virgin Islands and Hawaii.
Q: I live outside the recall areas, but the humidity is still high. Is my car safe?
A: The short answer is no one is sure because the problem is still under investigation. This has some car owners confused and worried. Investigators think they have found a concentration of defective inflators inside the high-humidity zone. But there are still a lot of humid locations outside those areas. Takata says the cars are safe if they're outside the high-humidity area. It's difficult to tell if your car has a Takata air bag inflator. You can try asking your dealer, but even they may not know.
Q: Why doesn't the government just order a national recall of all Takata air bag inflators?
A: Safety regulators say two incidents outside of current recall zones involving driver's side air bags are cause for a national recall. Takata disagrees. That could mean civil fines and a court date for Takata. Regulators can go to court to force Takata to do a recall, but they have to hold a public hearing first.
Q: What's next?
A: Other automakers are deciding whether to join Honda in a national driver's side recall. And the investigation will continue into passenger side problems. Takata could wind up being fined and face court action for defying the government's demands.
Cars involved
NHTSA urges owners to use their vehicle identification number on manufacturer sites to see if vehicles are have been recalled by the manufacturer. You can go to www.safercar.gov and key in your vehicle identification number, which normally is printed on your registration and stamped on the dashboard.
Here's the latest list of models covered by multiple Takata-related recalls:
BMW:
Total affected: 627,615
Models: 2000 to 2005 3 Series Sedan, 2000 to 2006 3 Series Coupe, 2000 to 2005 3 Series Sports Wagon, 2000 to 2006 3 Series Convertible, 2001 to 2006 M3 Coupe and M3 Convertible.
Chrysler:
Total affected: 371,309.
Models: 2003 to 2008 Ram 1500, 2005 to 2008 Ram 2500, 2006 to 2008 Ram 3500 and 4500, 2008 Ram 5500, 2005 to 2008 Dodge Durango, Dodge Dakota, and Chrysler 300; 2007 to 2008 Chrysler Aspen.
Ford:
Total affected: 85,004 (Field service campaign)
Models: 2004-2005 Ranger, 2005 and 2006 GT, 2005 to 2008 Mustang.
General Motors:
Total affected: 103,000
Models: 2003 to 2005 Pontiac Vibe made by Toyota, 2005 Saab 9-2X made by Subaru.
Honda:
Total affected: 5,051,364
Models: 2001 to 2007 Accord, 2001 to 2005 Civic, 2002 to 2006 CR-V, 2003 to 2011 Element, 2002 to 2004 Odyssey, 2003 to 2007 Pilot, 2006 Ridgeline, 2003 to 2006 Acura MDX, 2002 to 2003 Acura TL/CL, 2005 Acura RL.
Mazda:
Total affected: 64,872
Models: 2003 to 2007 Mazda6, 2006 to 2007 MazdaSpeed6, 2004 to 2008 RX-8, 2004 to 2005 MPV, 2004 B-Series Truck.
Mitsubishi:
Total affected: 11,985
Models: 2004 to 2005 Lancer, 2006 to 2007 Raider.
Nissan:
Total affected: 718,178
Models: 2001 to 2003 Maxima, 2001 to 2004 Pathfinder, 2002 to 2006 Sentra, 2001 to 2004 Infiniti I30/I35, 2006 Infiniti M35 and M45, 2002 to 2003 Infiniti QX4, 2003 to 2005 Infiniti FX35/FX45, 2013-2014 Infiniti QX 56/80.
Subaru:
Total affected: 17,516
Models: 2003 to 2005 Baja, 2003 to 2005 Legacy, 2003 to 2005 Outback, 2004 to 2005 Impreza.
Toyota:
Total affected: 971,314
Models: 2002 to 2005 Toyota Corolla, 2003 to 2005 Matrix, 2002 to 2005 Sequoia, 2003 to 2005 Tundra, 2002 to 2005 Lexus SC.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, automakers.