VW recalls 100K Beetles with faulty airbags

Volkswagen announced that it will recall nearly 105,000 of its Beetle models due to issues with faulty airbags.

The recall applies to Beetles with model years 2012 through 2014. The Takata driver frontal airbag was reportedly recalled over the potential to explode, dispersing sharp metal fragments into the car, according to the Volkswagen website.

Owners of the cars are able to have the front airbag replaced by dealers for no additional charge beginning on Feb. 12, according to The Associated Press.

Takata airbags used in the vehicles were made with ammonium nitrate, which was designed to induce a small explosion to inflate the bags during a crash. However, the chemical, when exposed to high heat and humid conditions, can begin to burn too fast and cause a larger explosion of the metal canister that contains the airbag, AP reported.

Volkswagen maintained that its airbags include a chemical that absorbs moisture and are not at risk of causing an explosion, but filed the recall at the advice of the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which stated that the airbags could explode over time, the news outlet reported.

A total of 27 people globally have died from the exploding inflators in the Takata airbags. Eighteen of those deaths related to the recall were reported in the United States, according to AP.

Takata’s inflators have also been responsible for nearly 63 million recalls, marking one of the largest series of recalls in the history of the U.S., AP reported.