More Than Half of Vehicles With Defective Takata Airbags Still Not Repaired

Feb 15,2018

The Takata airbag recall is not new news—over the past few years, millions of vehicles have been recalled worldwide due to the defective airbag inflators. However, it might come as a surprise that more than half of the vehicles that have been recalled still have not been repaired. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), only 19.6 million of the 41.8 million recalled airbags had been repaired, as of October.

What’s the Hold Up?

There are several explanations for the delay in getting the recalled airbags replaced. For one, there are not enough replacement parts available yet for all the of affected vehicles. Takata and the NHTSA together agreed upon a repair schedule that prioritizes the highest risk vehicles. These high-risk vehicles are older vehicles, and those located in areas with high temperatures and humidity.

Additionally, some of the affected vehicles are being repaired with temporary replacement airbag inflators. These inflators are the same type of inflators that have been known to explode. However, they are less dangerous because they are newer, and the ammonium nitrate that causes the explosions deteriorates over time. These inflators will have to be replaced again once parts become available.

Recalled Parts in Salvage Yards

Also part of the problem are the 150,000 affected vehicles that have ended up in scrap yards to be repaired and then resold. There are no rules about replacing recalled parts in these vehicles, or notifying buyers of the recalls. Fortunately, Honda has removed about 80,000 defective airbags from these salvage yards.

Vehicles changing ownership also comes into play for unrepaired recalls. Current owners of vehicles might not have received notification of the recalls. Because of this issue, Honda has actually been canvassing neighborhoods for these vehicles. Employees who find vehicles affected by the recall perform the repair on the spot. Honda has repaired about 50,000 vehicles this way.

“There are still far too many of these dangerous airbag inflators on the road posing a safety risk to drivers and passengers,” said Attorney Walter Clark, founder of Walter Clark Legal Group.

Our firm has been handling personal injury cases throughout the California Low Desert and High Desert communities for over 30 years. With a 95% success rate, the California personal injury attorneys at Walter Clark Legal Group will fight to hold those responsible for your loss accountable and win compensation to cover medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. If you have been injured by a defective product and want to discuss your legal options, contact us today for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer. We have offices in Indio, Rancho Mirage, Victorville, and Yucca Valley and represent clients through the entire California Low Desert and High Desert communities.

DISCLAIMER: The Walter Clark Legal Group blog is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended as legal or medical advice. References to laws are based on general legal practices and vary by location. Information reported comes from secondary news sources. We do handle these types of cases, but whether or not the individuals and/or loved ones involved in these accidents choose to be represented by a law firm is a personal choice we respect. Should you find any of the information incorrect, we welcome you to contact us with corrections.