Massive airbag recall

A massive recall going out to millions of car owners.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announcing the recall of 2.12 million vehicles Saturday.

The issue: An electronic component that might cause airbags to deploy when they should not.

Ten different models are effected under car-makers Toyota, Honda and Dodge.

The same problem causing recalls for the past three years.

To find out if your car is recalled, refer to the below Safety Advisory released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Safety Advisory

Issue:  The recall of 2.12 million vehicles, including the following makes and models: Acura MDX; Dodge Viper; Jeep Liberty; Jeep Grand Cherokee; Honda Odyssey; Pontiac Vibe; and Toyota Corolla, Avalon, and Matrix. Model years are detailed below.

Consumer Actions:

1. Check your vehicle's identification number (VIN) online at www.safercar.gov/vin and see if it is included in the recall.
2. Keep an eye on the mail for a notice from your vehicle's manufacturer to bring your car in to be fixed.

1. If you have not already done so, you should bring your car in to receive the temporary repair described below. Even though it's not a permanent remedy, it will significantly reduce the chances of an inadvertent airbag deployment, and you and your family will be safer.
2. When you receive a notice that the permanent remedy is available, please take your vehicle in for that work as well.
3. Always wear your seat belt.

Background:

The vehicles were subject to recalls in 2012, 2013 and 2014 that resulted from NHTSA investigations to address a problem with an electronic component that might cause airbags or seat belt pretensioners (devices that tighten your seat belt in a crash) to deploy when they should not.  NHTSA recently determined that a small number of vehicles that had been fixed under those recalls had experienced inadvertent airbag deployments, and the agency urged all three automakers to issue new recalls to implement a more effective remedy.  The automakers have now done so.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What vehicles are being recalled?

• 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty and 2002-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees (about 750,000 vehicles);
• 2003-2004 Honda Odyssey; and 2003 Acura MDX (about 370,000 vehicles);
• 2003-2004 Pontiac Vibe; Dodge Viper; and Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix, and Toyota Avalon (about 1 million vehicles, not all of which were sold in the United States)

How do I know if my car is being recalled?

First, get your vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN number. It’s a 17-digit string of numbers and letters that is printed on a small plate inside your front left windshield; you may also find it on your car’s registration or your proof-of-insurance card. Second, go online to safercar.gov/vin and enter your car’s VIN to see if it is under any current recall. Remember: You can enter your VIN and enroll for instant notices, by email or text, if your vehicle is recalled. You can also do all this with the SaferCar app, available for iPhone and Android phones.

What is wrong with these vehicles?

Each of these models has a part called an electronic control unit that controls deployment of its airbags. An auto parts maker, TRW, supplied control units containing the same control circuit to all three automakers.  The defect can cause the airbag to deploy when it shouldn’t – that is, when there is no crash to trigger their deployment. That can cause injuries to occupants and, possibly, cause a crash.

Weren’t these cars already recalled to fix the problem?

Yes. In 2012, 2013 and 2014, all three carmakers issued recalls because of this problem. Each carmaker committed to replacing electronic control units that had been damaged, and prevent damage to intact control units by installing filters or wire harnesses – depending on the vehicle – designed to insulate the control unit from damage. The carmakers believed this would fix the problem, and the remedy has performed as expected has in most cases. All three manufacturers have now found cases of inadvertent airbag deployments in vehicles that received the fix.

Aren’t some of these vehicles also involved in the problem with Takata airbags?

Yes. About one million vehicles made by Toyota and Honda that are the subject of these recalls have also been recalled because an airbag defect may cause them to deploy with too much force, breaking apart the airbag mechanism and causing parts to fly at high speed into the passenger compartment.  The possibility of an electronic defect causing an inadvertent deployment in an airbag that may rupture because of the airbag defect means it is doubly important for consumers to get their vehicle fixed as soon as a remedy is available.

How will the new recall fix the problem?

Each carmaker has said it will eventually replace the control units in all the affected vehicles. But it is likely to take several months for the companies to get enough parts to fix all 2.12 million vehicles. In the meantime, it’s very important for vehicle owners to take their car in for the temporary remedy to protect the electronic control unit from damage. While it has not been 100 percent effective, this fix will significantly reduce the chances of an inadvertent airbag deployment that could cause injuries or a crash.

When will they fix my car?

It may take several months for suppliers to build enough parts to fix all of the more than 2 million cars affected. NHTSA will monitor TRW and the auto manufacturers to ensure that they are moving as quickly as possible to make their customers safer.

This sounds dangerous.  Should I disconnect my airbags until my car is fixed?

No. Airbags are proven to save lives in crashes. Despite this problem, your chances of being involved in a crash in which an airbag could prevent serious injury or death are far greater than the risk of serious injury from an inadvertent airbag deployment.

I’m still not sure how this affects me. Who can I call?

For more information, or to report a possible safety defect, you can call NHTSA’s Safety Hotline at 1- 888-327-4236. You can call Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET to speak to a live NHTSA safety expert, or call anytime to leave a voicemail that we will respond to as quickly as we can.