If you drive a car that was manufactured between 2000 and 2018, chances are good that the airbags and inflaters in your car, truck, jeep or SUV are subject to a recall that is about to be launched by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Once the agency launches this recall, it will do what it can to alert the owners of vehicles affected by the effort. Yet, it isn’t always easy in an era when people pay very little attention to their “snail mail” and when fewer and fewer people pick up the phone when an unknown number shows on their screen to alert people to specific hazards that may concern them. As a result, it’s important for you to be proactively informed.
What’s going on?
Over the span of many months, it was confirmed repeatedly that the defective airbag inflaters in question – which are installed in approximately 52 million vehicles – explode far more violently than they should. As a result, these defective products cannot only not be accurately described as safety equipment, they can be characterized as a safety hazard that places motorists at risk of physical harm or death.
Unfortunately, the two manufacturers of these inflaters – which are installed in vehicles manufactured by 12 different companies – have refused to recall them voluntarily. As a result, the NHTSA is taking aggressive steps to recall them involuntarily, as is the agency’s right.
This recall is, tragically, taking so long to unfold that many people may end up hurt by the defective inflators before all is said and done. Therefore, you’ll want to see whether your vehicle is affected and you’ll want to consider seeking legal guidance if you’ve already been hurt by a defective airbag and need to seek justice.