U.S. auto safety regulators backed down from forcing a recall of about 50 million air bag inflators they have said could explode in a crash, de-escalating a fight that has dragged on for years.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a new filing that “further investigation is warranted” before it can finalize a decision about whether the parts are defective, a necessary step before an involuntary recall. The agency reconsidered its stance after reviewing comments noting manufacturing differences at plants where the components were installed, according to the document posted Wednesday on a