Takata doubles recall, declares 33.8 million air bags defective

DETROIT — A person briefed on the matter said air bag maker Takata Corp.
has agreed to declare 33.8 million of its inflator mechanisms defective, nearly
doubling the number recalled in the U.S. so far.

The announcement will be made later Tuesday by the National Highway Traffic
Safety Administration, which brokered the agreement. It will be the largest
recall in agency history.

Many of Takata’s air bags can explode with too much force, sending shrapnel
into passengers. The air bags are responsible for six deaths worldwide and more
than 100 injuries.

The person didn’t want to be identified because details haven’t been formally
announced.

Automakers have recalled 17 million vehicles in the U.S. and more than 36
million worldwide because of the problem. Those numbers will grow by millions.