The Takata airbag recall: how a propellant chemistry decision in the 1990s became the largest and costliest automotive recall in history, and why it still isn't over

What this episode covers

Hosts John Brunner and Alex Howe reconstruct the Takata airbag recall, the largest in automotive history, focusing on the Monclova, Mexico plant's use of unstable ammonium nitrate propellant. They detail how heat and humidity cycles caused the chemical to degrade and crack, turning airbags into shrapnel, while Takata falsified test data and manipulated barcodes to hide failures. The episode highlights the regulatory revolving door, the whistleblower John Keller's efforts to classify recalled units as hazardous materials, and the current status where 98% of vehicles are repaired, yet over a million remain on the road with increasingly dangerous, aged units.