The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is urgently calling on all vehicle owners to check now for open Takata recalls on their vehicles, after confirming another Takata rupture fatality.
One person died in a crash in a 2002 Honda Accord where the Takata driver’s side air bag inflator ruptured.
This brings the total number of confirmed fatalities due to Takata inflator rupture to 23, with four fatalities confirmed in 2022.
“Whatever you’re doing, stop now and check to see if your vehicle has a Takata air bag recall. If it does, make an appointment to get your free repair as soon as possible,” said NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson. “If this air bag ruptures in a crash, it could kill you or someone you love, or leave them with critical, life-altering injuries. Every day that passes when you don’t get a recalled air bag replaced puts you and your family at greater risk of injury or death.”
NHTSA is urging all vehicle owners to immediately check to see if their vehicle has an open Takata air bag recall. If it does, owners need to contact their dealership to schedule a free repair as soon as possible and follow any warnings from the vehicle manufacturer.
Even minor crashes can result in exploding air bags that can kill or produce life-altering, gruesome injuries. Older model year vehicles put their occupants at higher risk, as the age of the air bag is one of the contributing factors.
For Takata information for specific vehicle manufacturers, click here. For more information from NHTSA on the Takata air bag safety recall, click here.
How to Check for Recalls
- Use NHTSA’s Recalls Lookup Tool to check your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) for any open safety recalls, including the urgent Takata recall.
- Download the SaferCar app and let it check automatically.
- If a vehicle does have a safety recall, call the automaker’s local dealer to schedule the free recall repair.
- Sign up at NHTSA.gov/Alerts to be notified by email if your vehicle is affected by a future recall.
If you think your vehicle may have a safety defect that isn’t part of a current recall, contact NHTSA. Contact NHTSA online or by calling the agency’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. For more information, visit NHTSA.gov/Recalls.
Source: NHTSA
Abby Andrews