Nissan owners might be entitled to $500 as part of a class action settlement

The owners of select Nissan automobiles may be entitled to multiple forms of compensation, including a $500 payment, use of a rental car and an extended warranty, after the company agreed to pay $97.7 million to settle a class-action lawsuit on Tuesday.

The suit was brought against the company after 4.4 million vehicles were recalled due to an issue with Takata air bag inflators, according to Reuters.

Apparently, the faulty inflators can cause air bags to explode with excessive force during collisions, unleashing metal shrapnel inside cars and trucks.

At least 18 deaths and 180 injuries worldwide have been tied to the defect that led the Takata Corporation to file for bankruptcy protection in June.

To see if your Nissan is among the vehicles affected by the recall, click here.