Why some drivers still can’t get dangerous Takata airbags fixed
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — Keelyn Steffes and her little yellow 2015 Volkswagen Beetle go way back. “This has been my baby for almost a decade,” she said. “I feel like she’s betraying me.”
In May, Kim Steffes, Keelyn’s mom, got an urgent recall notice from Volkswagen. “It said that the air bag on my daughter’s car that’s registered to me was defective and could cause, and they put in bold capital letters, serious injury and even death,” Steffes said.
Over the years, manufacturers across the automotive industry have recalled 67 million vehicles due to defective Takata airbags that can explode, sending shrapnel throughout the car. The dangerous airbags have been linked to 28 deaths and 400 injuries in the United States.
With the critical warning, mom and daughter scheduled an appointment to have their recalled airbag repaired right away, but the dealership told them the part wouldn’t be available until September.
“It’s absolutely terrifying, and the fact that they don’t seem to care is just so frustrating and maddening,” Kim said.
“I have to drive it,” Keelyn added. “I have no other option right now. I have to be at work. I can’t take the time off, and so I’m just being as cautious as I possibly can be.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received several similar complaints from Volkswagen owners who’ve tried and failed to get the recalls handled on their Beetles. NHTSA has been in contact with Volkswagen about the complaints.
“Here we are, two-and-a-half years after the initial recall was announced and they’re still having a parts availability problem,” said Michael Brooks, the executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. “That’s pretty clearly a mess up on the part of the manufacturer.”
Even with urgent safety recalls, there are no requirements for car makers to provide safer options to customers while they wait for repairs. “In those situations, we think manufacturers should be providing loaners to consumers,” Brooks said.
Kim thinks so, too, but hit roadblocks when she reached out to Volkswagen. “Everyone’s saying, ‘Yea, that does suck. I feel bad for you,’” she said. “It’s like, feel bad for me? No, do something for me. But nobody wants to help at this point.”
On Your Side contacted Volkswagen. According to Michael Lowder, a spokesperson for Volkswagen, the automaker’s supplier experienced tooling issues, which led to a shortage of available parts. The company anticipates that the issue will be fully resolved within six to eight weeks. “Customers are eligible for a loaner vehicle if the dealer does not have parts to repair the vehicle,” Lowder said.
In the U.S., 37,558 Beetle and Beetle convertibles, model years 2015-2016, were recalled because of Takata airbags. According to Volkswagen, the company has a 72.6% ‘completion rate’ on this recall.
On Your Side reconnected the Steffes family with Volkswagen’s customer care team. Within days, Volkswagen located the necessary part to remedy the recall and scheduled an appointment to make the repair next week. “I can’t thank you enough for helping us,” Kim said.
If you have questions about a recall on your Volkswagen, contact VW’s customer care line at 800-822-8987.
You can also check for recalls on NHTSA’s website using your vehicle identification number (VIN). Recalls are repaired for free.
If you have safety complaints or concerns, send them to NHTSA online or through the agency’s vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236. The hotline is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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