Takata Air Bags Recall Information

How can I tell if my vehicle has been involved in this recall?
To determine if your vehicle is impacted by this recall enter your VIN at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What is a VIN number and where do I find it?
Your VIN is the unique identification for your vehicle and contains 17 alphanumeric characters. It may be found on your state vehicle registration, vehicle insurance, or on the vehicle itself – on the driver’s side dashboard at the bottom of the windshield or on the driver’s side doorjamb. Your VIN will not include the letter “i” or the letter “o”, but may include the number “1” or the number “0.”

What do I do if my vehicle has been recalled?
Please contact your local dealer which will be equipped to fix the recalled part or portion of your vehicle. A free loaner car or towing service may be available to assist with any inconvenience this may cause.

I received a letter from the Texas DMV indicating that my vehicle is affected by the Takata airbag recall. Is this a scam? Is this real?
The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles is working with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) as well as the automobile industry to notify Texas drivers of the Takata airbag recall. This is not a scam. If you received one of these letters, please call the phone number on the letter or contact your local authorized dealership to see whether you are affected. If you are, please schedule an appointment to have the free recall repair performed on your vehicle as soon as possible.

Can I schedule an appointment through the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles?
No, we are unfortunately unable to schedule an appointment for you. Please call the phone number on the letter that you received or contact your local authorized dealership to schedule an appointment to have the recall repair performed on your vehicle as soon as possible.

How much does it cost to have the airbag recall repair completed?
If your vehicle is subject to the recall, the repair is free at your local dealership. There is no charge for the recall repair, and you will not be required to pay for any other service unless you request it.

I already had a defective Takata airbag inflator repaired once in my vehicle. Why is my airbag still under recall?
Certain manufacturers replaced older Takata airbags with newly manufactured temporary replacements. Even though these “interim” or “like for like” replacements would eventually need to be replaced, this repair was a safe and effective repair until a final version of the replacement part could be made. This is because an older airbag is more likely to explode with sharp metal fragments than a newer version of the same airbag. Replacing the older airbag with a newer version reduced the safety risk in your vehicle until a final replacement airbag could be produced and installed. All owners who received an interim replacement airbag will be provided a free, final recall repair.

In addition, some vehicles that contained multiple defective Takata airbags (i.e. the passenger side and driver side airbags) might have been recalled to replace one, but not all of them. In this case, vehicle owners who have already had one defective Takata airbag replaced will continue to be contacted by their vehicle manufacturer to have the remaining defective airbag(s) replaced. In all cases, applicable owners will be able to receive the final airbag replacement for free and should contact their local vehicle manufacturer to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.

Can my local mechanic repair my vehicle if it is under the Takata airbag recall?
No, ONLY an authorized dealership should perform the repair. Individuals should not attempt to perform the repair themselves, nor should they take the vehicle to an auto body shop, mechanic or friend for a quick fix. This repair involves a dangerous, defective and explosive device that can cause serious injury or death, even in an accidental deployment of the airbag during a repair. Call your vehicle manufacturer’s local dealership immediately to schedule a free recall repair.

What if my local dealer says parts are not available?
Parts for nearly all affected vehicles are available at local dealerships. If your vehicle is under recall and your dealer says parts are not available, we recommend that you request an estimated date for when parts will be available from your vehicle manufacturer – not from the dealer. You can use your vehicle manufacturer’s recall hotline to talk to a representative who can inform you about parts availability for your vehicle. While not required by the dealer, you can request a loaner vehicle in the interim.

If your manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy this urgent airbag safety recall for your vehicle in a timely manner, please contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236, or by email at nhtsa.webmaster@dot.gov.

Should I remove my airbags if they are dangerous?
No, airbags are an important safety mechanism in your vehicle and only a trained professional at your local dealership should make this repair. If you have been notified by your vehicle manufacturer that your vehicle is affected by the Takata airbag recall, please contact your local dealership as soon as possible to schedule a free repair.

What is safer - driving with a defective airbag or turning off your airbag? Never disable your airbags. It is illegal and unsafe to disable an airbag in a vehicle. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that frontal airbags saved 2,400 lives in 2014 alone. If you are involved in a crash, it is more likely that your airbag will perform properly and protect you than rupture and cause harm. An airbag that is purposely disabled has a 100-percent chance of failing to provide any protection in a crash.

The vast majority of Takata airbags will perform as expected. If you feel uncomfortable continuing to drive your vehicle before the recall repair has been performed, you should contact your dealer and ask for a loaner until an interim or a final recall repair is completed. Dealers and manufacturers are not required by law to provide you a loaner vehicle, but it can never hurt to ask.

Someone came to my door, told me my airbag was recalled and tried to schedule an appointment to fix it. Is this a legitimate effort by a vehicle manufacturer?
As part of the ongoing efforts to increase awareness and fix all defective airbags, certain automakers have implemented door to door canvassing in select markets. If you have any concerns with or questions about the legitimacy of these efforts, please contact your automobile manufacturer.

I was contacted by my vehicle manufacturer about the Takata airbag recall but I was previously involved in a crash and the airbags deployed. Since the crash, I have had the airbags in my vehicle repaired. Do I still need to have the recall repair completed?
Yes. Your vehicle may have defective airbags from the repair that was done. Contact your local vehicle manufacturer as soon as possible to schedule your free recall repair.

I keep receiving notifications from my vehicle manufacturer about the Takata airbag recall but I no longer own that vehicle anymore. What do I do?
Please contact your vehicle manufacturer and let them know.

How will I know if my vehicle is affected by another recall in the future?
You can check if your vehicle is affected by any recall at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls.