BROWARD COUNTY, Fla. – Every day, millions hit the road in South Florida and many of them may not even be aware that their vehicle is part of a massive air bag recall.
Members of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and automakers gathered at Broward College South Campus on Thursday morning to warn people of the dangers of these defective airbags. The recall involves several air bag types, all made by Takata.
In Florida alone, there are more than 1.4 million cars with defective air bags still in need of repair.
“Miami-Dade County and Broward County, the rates of repair are lagging behind other parts of the nation," said Heidi King, deputy administrator at the NHTSA.
So what is wrong with these air bags? The problem lies with the chemical inside the inflator, which inflates the air bag: It becomes problematic after years of being exposed to high heat and humidity.
In a crash, if the air bag goes off, the inflator can fall apart sending metal parts everywhere which can be life-threatening.
“So instead of a controlled, safe inflation of the air bag, it becomes more like an explosion," added King.
At least 15 people, including a man in Hialeah in 2016 and a woman in Orlando in 2014, have been killed by defective air bags. More than 200 people across the country have been injured.
The matter is serious, which is why all recalled air bags will be replaced for free and the process is simple.
Here are the eight vehicles most at risk:
- 2001-2002 Honda Accord
- 2001-2002 Honda Civic
- 2002-2003 Acura TL/CL
- 2002 Honda Odyssey
- 2003 Honda Pilot
- 2002 Honda CR-V
- 2006 Ford Ranger
- 2006 Mazda B-Series
To find out if your air bag is part of the recall, check the Vehicle Identification Number of your car. Your VIN is located on the left driver's side of your car's windshield. It is also located on your car's registration card. Then visit NHTSA.gov/recalls and type in your VIN.
