Most of us have heard of the massive recall surrounding vehicles with airbags manufactured by Takata Corporation in Japan. This has been all over the news this week as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has increased the number of vehicles included from 4.7 million to 7.8 million.
The list of vehicles (as of October 24, 2014) that could have these defective airbags is shown below.
There has been a lot of confusion relating to this recall. Here is what you need to know:
The problem originates with the propellant used in he manufacturing process; it was either too powerful, or becomes too powerful in humid conditions. In an accident, pieces of the airbag’s frame and propellant container pierce the airbag and shoot out like shrapnel, along with the propellant itself. This can, and has, caused serious injury to the vehicle’s occupants.
The NHTSA believes that the concern is greatest for people living in high-humidity areas such as Florida, Puerto Rico, and areas near the Gulf of Mexico. In those geographical areas, the NHTSA is urging people to take IMMEDIATE action, and not to drive their vehicles until the airbags have been replaced.
In the rest of the country, there have been a few incidents reported in Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, and Illinois. Some manufacturers identified these issues as early as 2008 and sent out recall letters at that time.
What should you do if you have a vehicle on the list below?
Go to the NHTSA website – https://vinrcl.safecar.gov/vin/ – enter your VIN, and check if your vehicle is subject to the recall. If it is, no matter what area you live in, YOU ARE STONGLY URGED to visit your dealership as soon as possible, and have the airbags replaced. Vehicles in Chicago are subject to extremely humid interiors – often from blocked drains or even from a window left open during a storm. You simply cannot afford to take the risk that the airbag, which is meant to save you, could actually cause you serious bodily harm. Also, as this list is still evolving, checking every few weeks is highly recommended, until the list is finalized.
From the NHTSA Website:
7.8 Million Affected U.S. Vehicles, by Manufacturer, Impacted by CY 2013 and 2014 Recalls Involving Takata Airbags
Note: The list below corrects the list that accompanied our October 20th advisory, which incorrectly included certain vehicles. The numbers cited for potentially affected vehicles below are subject to change and adjustment because there may be cases of vehicles being counted more than once. Owners should check their VIN periodically as manufacturers continue to add VINs to the database. Once owner recall notices are available, owners can retrieve a copy from SaferCar.gov, or will receive one by U.S. mail and are advised to carefully follow the enclosed instructions.
BMW: 627,615 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2000 – 2005 3 Series Sedan
2000 – 2006 3 Series Coupe
2000 – 2005 3 Series Sports Wagon
2000 – 2006 3 Series Convertible
2001 – 2006 M3 Coupe
2001 – 2006 M3 Convertible
Chrysler: 371,309 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2008 Dodge Ram 1500
2005 – 2008 Dodge Ram 2500
2006 – 2008 Dodge Ram 3500
2006 – 2008 Dodge Ram 4500
2008 – Dodge Ram 5500
2005 – 2008 Dodge Durango
2005 – 2008 Dodge Dakota
2005 – 2008 Chrysler 300
2007 – 2008 Chrysler Aspen
Ford: 58,669 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2004 – Ranger
2005 – 2006 GT
2005 – 2007 Mustang
General Motors: undetermined total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2005 Pontiac Vibe
2005 – Saab 9-2X
Honda: 5,051,364 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2001 – 2007 Honda Accord)
2001 – 2002 Honda Accord
2001 – 2005 Honda Civic
2002 – 2006 Honda CR-V
2003 – 2011 Honda Element
2002 – 2004 Honda Odyssey
2003 – 2007 Honda Pilot
2006 – Honda Ridgeline
2003 – 2006 Acura MDX
2002 – 2003 Acura TL/CL
2005 – Acura RL
Mazda: 64,872 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2007 Mazda6
2006 – 2007 MazdaSpeed6
2004 – 2008 Mazda RX-8
2004 – 2005 MPV
2004 – B-Series Truck
Mitsubishi: 11,985 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2004 – 2005 Lancer
2006 – 2007 Raider
Nissan: 694,626 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2001 – 2003 Nissan Maxima
2001 – 2004 Nissan Pathfinder
2002 – 2004 Nissan Sentra
2001 – 2004 Infiniti I30/I35
2002 – 2003 Infiniti QX4
2003 – 2005 Infiniti FX35/FX45
Subaru: 17,516 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2003 – 2005 Baja
2003 – 2005 Legacy
2003 – 2005 Outback
2004 – 2005 Impreza
Toyota: 877,000 total number of potentially affected vehicles
2002 – 2005 Lexus SC
2002 – 2005 Toyota Corolla
2003 – 2005 Toyota Corolla Matrix
2002 – 2005 Toyota Sequoia
2003 – 2005 Toyota Tundra