Sept. 2, 2021—Volkswagen's U.S. unit has agreed to a $42 million settlement covering 1.35 million vehicles that were equipped with potentially dangerous Takata air bag inflators, Reuters reported.
The defect, which leads in rare instances to air bag inflators rupturing and sending dangerous metal fragments flying, prompted the largest automotive recall in history.
To date, at least 19 U.S. deaths have been attributed to faulty Takata air bag inflators.
Honda reached an earlier $605 million civil settlement with owners similar to the Volkswagen settlement. Ford previously reached a $299.1 million civil settlement with owners, while BMW agreed to a $131 million settlement.
More than 400 injuries are also tied to faulty Takata inflators and at least 28 deaths worldwide.
Court documents say around 35 percent of the inflators in Volkswagen and Audi vehicles that have been or will be recalled have not been repaired.
