Dallas

Limited Availability for Recalled Airbag Replacements

Nearly 70 million airbags are, or will be, under recall by 2019, and community and health leaders from across the state are now joining forces to keep North Texas roads safe.

The group says there are still more than a half-million defective airbag inflators in North Texas, and they want drivers to check and see if their car is part of that list.

But some motorists say they did check and tried to get their airbags replaced, but they're still waiting.

"It's been since June," driver Laneshia Jordan said.

Jordan's 2011 Mercedes-Benz is one of millions of vehicles affected by the Takata airbag recall. She received a letter from the automaker earlier this year and called that same day to get her airbags replaced.

"They said they'll replace it, but they don't have any idea when the parts are going to come in," Jordan said.

Nearly six months later, she still is driving with recalled airbags in her vehicle.

"I'm rolling around in a death trap pretty much," Jordan said.

Airbags with ammonium nitrate inflators, under the right conditions, can explode. Government investigators report 11 deaths and 180 injuries.

And only 12.5 million airbags have been replaced so far due to lack of parts. Now, government regulators have decided which cars should be fixed with deadlines.

"So we actually have priorities to make sure that people in the highest risk get their inflators first," says Mark Rosekind, with the National Highway Safety Administration.

The new priority list is based on:

  • The age of the airbag inflator.
  • The geographic location of the car.
  • Whether it's a driver or passenger airbag.

Cars at least six years old in hot, humid states are most at risk of an exploding air bag.

"Drivers and passengers in the Dallas area are more at risk," said Dallas County Judge Clay Jenkins.

Concerned community leaders from across North Texas met Monday morning with a clear message: know your car's status and have it checked. But many drivers like Jordan are still waiting to get their airbag replaced.

"I'm still sitting in this same car, hoping and praying that we don't have an accident, because if the airbags deploy my son and me could possibly die," Jordan said.

Drivers are urged to visit airbagrecall.com and safercar.gov for more information about this recall.

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