Nearly 8 million vehicles are at risk for faulty airbags – is your car one of them?

Following four fatalities, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is warning that millions of airbags manufactured by Takata may be endangering consumers, and is urging owners of certain Toyota, Honda, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors vehicles to act immediately on recall notices. Owners Urged to Take Immediate Action

Unfortunately, drivers may have trouble determining if their car is on the danger list, as the NHTSA initially failed to properly inform the public about the dangerous airbags, directing them to an inoperable site. Vehicle Recall Information Lacking

“NHTSA is not ready – this is a system that is clearly broken,” Massachusetts Senator Ed Markey said. “These airbags are ticking time bombs and any one of them can go off in any car at any time.”

The Takata bags can malfunction and explode, sending shrapnel hurling through a vehicle into front passenger’s front chests and faces – a serious problem which has been linked to at least four deaths and 30 injuries. Answers Slow in Coming

The problem is urgent – especially in certain warmer states and regions – and appears to be related to extended exposure to high humidity and temperatures. In fact, Toyota has warned 875,000 drivers not to sit in the front seat until dealers repair airbags. Toyota Says Stay Out of Front Seat

In the meantime, check to see if your car is on the recall list. If it is, call your dealer and schedule a free repair appointment. Recall Questions and Answers

Here is the latest update from NHTSA News Update