KAILUA-KONA — If you own a car, you might be at risk.
KAILUA-KONA — If you own a car, you might be at risk.
Takata, an auto parts producer based out of Japan, has manufactured tens of millions of faulty airbags over the last decade-plus, rendering several vehicle makes and models across multiple automotive brands potentially deadly. Some of the airbags were installed in vehicles that hit dealership lots as far back as 2002.
In May, as many as an additional 40 million Takata airbags were recalled in the United States, bringing the national recall total to 64 million. At least 10 deaths in the United States and three deaths internationally have been linked to the faulty airbags, as well as more than 100 injuries.
Pressure can build up in the defective airbags, rupturing their steel interiors and spraying shards of metal about the vehicle cabin upon deployment after a crash.
Owners in Hawaii are particularly susceptible because industry safety regulators say exposure to moisture and temperature fluctuations over long periods of time can compromise airbag deployment mechanisms and make the interior rupture more likely, according to a lawsuit brought against Takata by the state of Hawaii.
Hawaii also named Honda, Takata’s largest customer, as a defendant in the lawsuit, which asserts that Takata was aware of the defect and covered it up. For violating the state’s consumer protection laws, Hawaii is seeking civil penalties of up to $10,000 from Takata and Honda for each car owner affected. As of May, roughly 70,000 vehicles had been recalled in the state.
But Honda is not the only automaker that did business with Takata, so Honda owners aren’t the only consumers who should inquire about the recall.
Dana McMillen of Big Island Toyota said the recall and repair process begins with a vin number and a phone call. The service department at any Toyota dealership can run a check to find out if a particular vin number has been flagged and included in any recall notices.
McMillen said the call is important because even though a certain make and model is listed as potentially affected, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s in need of repair. Depending on its manufacturing history, which can be isolated by using the vin number, customers may be able to alleviate worry and avoid unnecessary hassles.
“If your vehicle is part of a recall, Toyota will pay for (the repairs),” McMillen said.
Turnaround time is tougher to gauge. A spokeswomen for American Honda Motor Company said that depending on the make and model of the vehicle as well as recall demand, a replacement airbag may be available immediately, but some parts for certain vehicles may not become available until later this summer.
Honda is offering affected drivers up to $35 per day for replacement transportation while their vehicles are under repair.