Worries Mount Over Takata Airbag Recall, Delay In Replacements
DIX HILLS, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Millions of vehicles are affected by one of the largest and most complex car safety recalls in history.
A total of 29 million cars need replacement parts following an airbag recall. But only 7.5 million have been repaired. And as CBS2's Sonia Rincon reported, a recent tragedy is sounding the alarm for local drivers.
The death of Huma Hanif, 17, in Texas this week was the tenth in the U.S. blamed on defective Takata airbags.
Lisa Berley of Dix Hills, Long Island heard about it, right after she got a letter from BMW saying her car has a Takata airbag and she should get it replaced.
The problem is the letter said, "At the present time, we do not have parts available." Thus, Berley needs to wait until they do.
She consulted her local dealer.
"I called up to see if they had the airbags and when that would happen. They told me -- the dealership told me -- the summer," Berley said.
Until then, she doesn't want anyone -- especially her 18-year old son -- driving the car.
"I don't even want him as a passenger in the car, and I think we'll probably avoid using it as much as possible," Berley said.
A local dealership will likely be replacing that airbag once it's available. Because Berley's car is leased, she is hoping they will let her switch it for one with a different airbag.
Berley is still waiting to hear back from the dealership, which also did not immediately respond to CBS2 for comment.
AAA Northeast spokesman Robert Sinclair said the Takata airbag replacement backlog is a big problem.
"We're talking about 29 million vehicles that are being recalled of lots of different brands from different countries of origin," Sinclair said.
So what are your options if you're waiting? Sinclair said it doesn't hurt to ask your dealer for a loaner, but that may not work.
"It's not something that a dealership would be required to do," he said.
Sinclair added that standard car insurance wouldn't cover a rental.
You can also consult a mechanic about disabling your airbag, so it won't deploy in a collision.
"That might be something you want to consider as long as you have your seatbelt on," Sinclair said.
But what if you're not sure if you even have a Takata airbag in your car? The family of Huma Hanif said she had no idea.
There is an app that will send you notifications if your car is affected by a recall. It's made by CarFax.
Sinclair said while that's one way for drivers to find out, "the action should be coming from the manufacturer who should be tracking them down and letting them know."
The airbags' inflator can break apart into sharp pieces and spray out when it deploys. In addition to 10 deaths, more than 100 people have been hurt by the shrapnel.
The National Traffic Safety Administration issued a new appeal this week to manufacturers to notify drivers and replace the defective airbags.
