Defective airbags affect more than 30m cars, trucks in US

Washington

MORE than 30 million cars and trucks nationwide are equipped with dangerously defective airbags, congressional officials say, a number that raises questions about whether the US auto industry can handle what could become the largest recall in history.s

Federal safety authorities have recalled 7.8 million vehicles over the defect in a few states, a limited action that lawmakers said on Thursday was insufficient to address what they deemed "a public safety threat". Two senators demanded a much broader recall that would cover every affected vehicle nationwide. But a recall of that magnitude - including best-selling models from Honda, Toyota, GM, Chrysler and six other companies spanning 2002 to 2007 - could prove far greater than the industry has ever managed.