The Takata airbag recall is the largest automotive recall in history. Several million autos have been involved in the recall, with several million more still to come before the whole ordeal is over. The recall, which has lasted five years so far, involves several auto manufacturers, including Honda, Toyota, Ford, and many others. The airbags can explode with too much force, sending deadly shrapnel flying through the vehicle. So far, there have been 23 deaths worldwide and hundreds of injuries.
The Commercial Appeal reports on nearly 1,000,000 autos in Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi that still have the dangerous airbags.
Automakers sent out recall notices on some 42 million vehicles five years ago. Unfortunately, most vehicle owners failed to respond to the notices.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in Tennessee, Alabama, and Mississippi alone, there are nearly 1,000,000 vehicles that have still not been repaired. The problem is that humid weather and heat are the triggers for the defective airbag, causing the chemical fueling the explosion to deteriorate more quickly. So far, only about 18 million vehicles have been repaired.
Honda is trying to remedy the problem by locating owners and going door-to-door to inform people of the defective airbags. Other manufacturers are using techniques like direct mail and live phone calls to notify owners. Still, nearly 45% of the defective airbags have not been fixed.
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