Takata sued in Canada over airbag-related vehicle recalls

Takata Corp., the Japanese auto-parts maker whose air bags have been linked to six fatalities globally, has been sued in Canada in three separate cases, it said in a statement today.

Three plaintiffs in Windsor, Ontario, are seeking combined damages of $$2.4-billion on behalf of owners of vehicles equipped with Takata-made air bags, the Tokyo-based manufacturer said in the statement to the Tokyo Stock Exchange Friday. The actual penalty amount will be difficult to estimate, and Takata hasn't factored it into the current fiscal year's earnings forecast, it said.

The lawsuits were spurred by a series of recalls of vehicles with Takata air bags. Regulators and car makers are investigating air-bag inflators that may malfunction, deploying with too much force and shooting metal pieces into drivers and passengers.

Takata has been the target of dozens of proposed class actions in the U.S. by customers claiming losses in vehicle value.