Air bag recall increases, taxes overloaded industry

WASHINGTON — Prodded by the U.S. government, Takata agreed Wednesday to add up to 40 million air bag inflators to an already massive recall, raising questions about the auto industry’s ability to produce and distribute replacement parts. The recall of inflators that can explode with too much force and hurt people was already the largest in U.S. history at 28.8 million. But Wednesday’s announcement could raise it to as high as 69 million, which will strain overburdened manufacturers. It also put Takata, automakers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a race against time. The government said inflators have to be replaced before they reach six years old, when the risk of rupture increases.