Volkswagen is recalling nearly 42,000 Beetles in the U. S. They are in the U. S. and Canada because they have potentially harmful Takata airbag inflators.
The recall refers to the Beetles of 2015 and 2016. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents released Friday that inflators can explode too hard and throw shrapnel.
Takata used ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate the airbags in the event of an accident. But the chemical can get worse over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity.
Since 2009, explosive airbags have killed at least 33 other people worldwide, adding up to 24 in the United States.
Dealers will upgrade the Beetle’s driver’s airbag. Owners will be notified via letter on February 17.
Beetle airbags contain a chemical that absorbs moisture and can slow the deterioration of ammonium nitrate. But VW and the U. S. The U. S. has reached an agreement to withdraw them from the market in 2020.