The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into potentially faulty Joyson Safety Systems airbags. Previously known as Key Safety Systems, the Chinese-owned and US-headquartered company purchased Takata Corporation in 2018.
Conducted by the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation, the Equipment Query (EQ) investigation relates to replacement airbag cushions that may have been folded incorrectly, which could prevent proper deployment of the airbag. The NHTSA said the purpose of the EQ is “to write to Joyson, and other companies that might have purchased this equipment from Joyson, notify them of this defect in any vehicles they manufactured, and to ensure thorough safety recalls are conducted where appropriate.”
The EQ also provides a summary of specific issues affecting a number of vehicle manufacturers.
In a report dated 14 July 2019, Mercedes Benz USA (MBUSA) notified the NHTSA of a safety-related defect in certain 2020 GLE350 4Matic and GLE450 4Matic vehicles. MBUSA said these vehicles may have received Joyson passenger airbag assemblies that may cause a delayed or incomplete deployment of the airbag during a crash.
On 28 August 2019, Toyota Motor Engineering and Manufacturing notified the NHTSA of a safety-related defect in certain 2003-2008 Corolla, 2005-2008 Corolla Matrix, and 2005-2008 Pontiac Vibe vehicles. Toyota said these vehicles may have received replacement Joyson airbag assemblies under a previous recall, and the replacement airbags may not unfold as designed during a crash.
On 23 January 2020, General Motors notified the NHTSA of a defect in certain 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe vehicles while on 4 March 2021, Nissan North America notified the NHTSA of a defect in certain 2006-2008 Infiniti FX35 and FX45 vehicles. In both these recalls, affected vehicles were repaired under previous recalls, and the replacement airbags may not unfold as designed during a crash.
A subsidiary of Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp, Joyson Safety Systems says it is “a global leader in mobility safety, providing safety-critical components, systems and technology to automotive and non-automotive markets”. Headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, the company says it has a global network of more than 50,000 employees in 25 countries generating annual sales of about US$6 billion.