Chrysler bows to US safety agency pressure, expands recall of driver's side air bag inflators

After resisting for several weeks, Chrysler is bowing to government demands to expand a recall of driver's side air bag inflators across the entire nation.

The company says in a statement Friday that it will recall nearly 2.9 million older cars and trucks across the U.S., as demanded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The recall includes Chrysler's most popular model, the Ram pickup, from the 2004 through 2007 model years.

The vehicles have driver's air bags equipped with inflators made by Japan's Takata Corp. The inflators can explode with too much force and spew shrapnel at drivers and passengers.

The recall previously was limited to Hawaii, Florida, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

The government demanded that five automakers expand recalls. BMW is now the lone holdout.