It’s been a decade since the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began issuing recalls for what now stands at over 67 million vehicles in the U.S. equipped with airbags sourced from Takata for having faulty inflators, and they continue to make the news.
NHTSA reports a 28th victim was killed by a defective Takata airbag since 2009. The motorist was an Alabama Honda owner who died from airbag-induced injuries back in 2018, based on new information received by the agency. NHTSA says the Takata airbags can rupture and send metal shards into the cabin when they deploy in even minor crashes, and can “kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries.”
And this is on top of Ford and Mazda recently issuing “do not drive” warnings for more than 450,000 of their vehicles that have yet to have their potentially perilous airbags replaced. These include models from Lincoln and Mercury that have previously been recalled. The affected models date back to the 2005 model year, which the agency says increases the chance of the airbags rupturing in a crash. That’s because the defect, blamed on the propellent that inflates an airbag, can break down after long-term exposure to heat and humidity.
In a Do Not Drive recall, owners are advised not to operate the affected vehicle to avoid a potential accident and/or injury. A Park Outside recall is more serious, involving a fire risk; if that’s issued, owners are told to leave the vehicles parked outside of garages and away from buildings.
The Takata airbags continue to be a threat since, according to the title search company Carfax, there are an estimated 6.4 million vehicles still on the road that have yet to have them replaced in what has been the largest recall in history. And that’s despite the fact that affected motorists can have recall-related fixes made at no cost. Models from many mainstream and luxury makes sold in the U.S. are affected as well as a few exotic-car brands like Ferrari and McLaren.
Recalls are issued when vehicle owners, regulators, or manufacturers determine that a faulty component presents an unreasonable safety risk or fails to meet stated standards in this regard. The most common components to trigger safety-related recalls include passenger restraint systems, brakes, electronics, steering and suspension components, door latches, fuel pumps, and ignition switches. Sometimes they’re for issues as minor as replacing a page or two in the owner’s manual that was originally printed with missing or incorrect information.
Whenever a safety-related recall is issued the automaker is required to contact every owner of record for that particular model by mail. However, it can be difficult or downright impossible for a manufacturer to contact second or third owners, which helps explain why older models typically have the highest percentages of uncorrected recalls.
Fortunately, NHTSA maintains a free searchable online database at nhtsa.gov that allows consumers to determine if cars they currently own – as well as those they’re considering buying in the resale market – are at risk because of uncorrected safety-related recalls, including the Takata airbags. Owners will need to input their car or truck’s VIN (vehicle information number, found on the dashboard on the lower left side) to find out if it’s been recalled and for what reason(s).
Owners can also register their vehicles with NHTSA and be contacted automatically if a safety issue is discovered via the downloadable SaferCar app for Apple and Android smartphones. The app also enables motorists to submit complaints to NHTSA regarding possible safety problems with their vehicles.
Whether or not an official notice has been received, those driving a car that’s been recalled should contact a local dealership immediately to set up a service appointment. Owners shouldn’t be charged for recall-related repairs, though it may take some time to secure a service appointment to have a specified fix taken care of at a local dealership if a particularly large number of the brand’s models are affected.
Whether or not an official notice has been received, those driving a car that’s been recalled should contact a local dealership immediately to set up a service appointment. Owners shouldn’t be charged for recall-related repairs, though it may take some time to secure a service appointment to have a specified fix taken care of at a local dealership if a particularly large number of the brand’s models are affected.
If a dealer’s service department balks at repairing a recalled vehicle for free, NHTSA advises contacting the automaker to register a complaint, noting the name of the dealership and any personnel that were involved. Aggrieved consumers can do likewise by notifying the agency directly.
