HOUSTON – Takata first notified drivers of their defective airbags in 2015 when about 37 million vehicles were affected nationwide.
According to Safeairbags.com, more than 17 million recalled airbags remain on the road today. Traffic Expert Anavid Reyes learned more than 400,000 of those recalled airbags are on Houston-area roads alone and with the summer heat ahead, this is a big concern.
Fortunately, dealerships now have the parts to repair those airbags.
“Manufacturers now have the airbags for replacement. Now the biggest piece of the puzzle missing is to get the person into various dealerships to get that accomplished,” according to Patrick Juneau of safeairbags.com.
The problem with the defective Takata airbags is that a part inside can explode, shooting sharp metal fragments at passengers inside the vehicle.
“Think of this like a live grenade in your car, and you’re driving around with it,” said Juneau.
If a driver received a recall notice that their car has a defective airbag, they should call their local dealership to schedule a free repair, which should only take a few hours.
Don’t know if your car is part of the recall? All you have to do is type in your car’s VIN number on NHTSA.gov or safeairbags.com.
There’s also a free smartphone app called “Airbag Recall” where you can snap a picture of your license plate to see if your car or your family members’ cars are under recall.
We understand there may be safety concerns because of COVID, so dealerships are offering “mobile repair,” which means they’ll send a technician to a customer’s home to repair the vehicle. There will be no close contact between tech and customer.