Takata Airbag Recall: What You Need To Know

Automotive Editor

Armaan Almeida was an Automotive Editor who produced buying guides and sneak previews, in addition to publishing daily news stories and tracking monthly deals, incentives and pricing trends from Toyota, Nissan and Lexus.

, Automotive Editor - May 21, 2015

If you own a car with airbags, you need to read this.

A media firestorm has erupted within the past 48 hours in the auto industry, as one of the most far-reaching recalls in U.S. history is taking place. And it's happening right now. The scrutiny is well-warranted: millions of Americans and their vehicles have been affected, as airbag manufacturer Takata has agreed to double the initial recall of 17 million vehicles to 34 million vehicles.

Safest Crossover You Can Buy »

Note that equates to 13% of the 250 million vehicles on the road today. And the cars, trucks and crossovers affected aren't simply Honda vehicles. They're BMW's. And Chryslers. And Nissans. And they're all going to be hitting the road as the summer road-trip season kicks off this Memorial Day Weekend.

Honda Aims for 100% Recall Repairs »

Troubling Trend

One thing that is really disconcerting to us is the fact that some owners are simply disabling their airbags in fear of shrapnel getting hurled at them should they be involved in an accident. We won't dive into how their going about doing so, because we don't want anyone reading this article to go out and try it. This is flat-out the worst thing someone could do.

Yes, five people have lost their lives due to the defective inflators, but airbags have saved thousands upon thousands of lives since their inception in 1980 (the 1980 Mercedes-Benz S-Class was the first car to feature a driver-side airbag).

Department of Transportation Announces Steps

The DOT has announced steps to follow for determining whether or not your vehicle needs recall repairs and have taken the extra step by setting up new easy-to-use portals for owners. You'll need your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) which is located either on the driver-side door jamb or on the driver-side dashboard (viewable through the front of the windshield).

Manufacturers Are Trying

Yes, the whole airbag recall is troubling, but that's not to say that manufacturers are not trying to do their part. In fact, Honda and Acura both are trying hard to get current owners to bring their vehicles. The entire upgrade is paid for by the dealership, at no cost to the owner, sans 30 minutes to an hour worth of lost time.

But some owners simply are not paying attention. If your car is on this list, or if you are unsure, take some time out of your day to pick up the phone and call to find out. Your life, and the lives of your children, spouses, friends and families depend on it.

In all, the models affected by faulty Takata airbag inflators are as follows: