As bad an idea as that may seem, some drivers are choosing driving with no airbags over risking an explosion of defective Takata airbags. Millions of drivers are waiting for recall replacements but, for the majority, there’s no end in sight. One man took matters into his own hands, literally, and removed the Takata airbags from his vehicle.
As bad an idea as that may seem, some drivers are choosing driving with no airbags over risking an explosion of defective Takata airbags. Millions of drivers are waiting for recall replacements but, for the majority, there’s no end in sight. One man took matters into his own hands, literally, and removed the Takata airbags from his vehicle.
Safety and repair experts warn against such extreme measures but for some, there are no other acceptable alternatives. According to one expert, Jay Zembower, “You are far better off taking a chance with a defective airbag than no airbag at all.”
Some automakers extended offers of rental cars until replacement parts come in, but that’s the exception to the rule. Most owners have three options:
- Park it
- Trade it
- Drive it
When David Kaczmarek received the recall notices for his 2010 Ford Mustang, he was understandably concerned as it warned the defect could kill him. He called the dealership but was told he’d have to wait.
According to Kaczmarek, the dealership rep said, “‘You’ll get a notice in the mail to bring it in.’ I still didn’t get that phone call.” That was six months ago. So, Kaczmarek was left with the park it, trade it or drive it choice. Unhappy with those options, the airline mechanic added a fourth: he opened his toolbox and took out the defective airbags.
He said, “I’d rather have no airbag than a defective airbag that has any chance of exploding.” He said that manufacturers should “Get these air bags changed out. Eight lives is way too many.”
To date, the defective airbags have caused eight deaths and at least 100 injuries. The recall covered roughly 34M vehicles and, despite production of 1M replacements per month, Takata is backlogged. The backlog is so serious that it could be a year of more before some vehicle owners see replacement airbags.
This is particularly concerning in states with higher humidity, such as Florida, as high humidity degrades the ammonium nitrate-filled inflators. Another risk factor is vehicle age; older vehicles carry a greater risk of driver injury.
Source:
Join the conversation!