Toyota, Nissan recall 6.6 million more cars, citing faulty Takata airbags

TOKYO, May 13 (UPI) -- Japanese automakers expanded their global recall of cars to include 30 million vehicles, citing potentially faulty airbags.

Toyota and Nissan said Wednesday they will recall another 6.6 million vehicles, reported The Financial Times. Honda did not specify the number of cars it plans to recall.

Between Toyota and Nissan, Toyota claimed the lion's share of recalls. The BBC reported Toyota was recalling nearly 5 million cars, including the Corolla, Vitz and other models manufactured between March 2003 and November 2007.

Airbags that explode when deployed have been cited as the cause of at least six deaths in the United States and Malaysia.

Takata, the Japanese firm that manufactures the airbags, said Wednesday's recall announcement was a decision made independently by the carmakers.

Toyota said it will replace the front passenger side and front driver side airbag inflators with new equipment.

The car company said certain types of airbag inflators were found to have a potential for moisture intrusion over the course of time.

When too much moisture is absorbed, the inflators' tablets disintegrate and trigger uneven deployment, according to experts.

Nissan said Tuesday that recalled vehicles' airbag inflators will be tested and replaced if necessary. The cars that have been flagged for inspection were made between 2004 and 2007, and the recall affects about 1.6 million Nissan vehicles.

Last July, a pregnant woman was killed when a metal fragment from a faulty Takata airbag sliced into her neck, according to a lawsuit filed in a Miami federal court.