MIAMI, May 18, 2017
/PRNewswire/ -- BMW, Mazda, Subaru and Toyota (the automakers)
today announced agreements to resolve economic
loss claims in the Takata multidistrict
litigation (MDL) in the United
States. The programs offered in these agreements are
intended to increase recall remedy completion
rates for Takata airbag inflators, among other
customer benefits.
The Takata airbag inflator recall is the largest such action in
history and affects more than 42 million vehicles in the United States, across 19 automakers. Given
the size, scope and severity of the Takata recall, these automakers
are the first to agree to a settlement structure to fund consumer
outreach, rental car/loaner programs and out-of-pocket cost
reimbursement. The automakers have jointly agreed to provide a
total of approximately $553 million
for these activities.
If
the proposed settlements are approved as
final by the U.S. District Court for the
Southern District of Florida,
the automakers will separately support the following
activities, which will be conducted under the
supervision of a court-appointed
Settlement Special Administrator, subject to the terms
and conditions of each agreement:
- Outreach Program: The
Settlement Special Administrator will oversee and
administer outreach programs with the goal of significantly
increasing Takata recall remedy completion
rates among customers of the four automakers
through traditional and non-traditional means. The
programs, intended to start before final approval of the
agreements, build upon extensive work these automakers have
already done to reach the owners of affected vehicles and
will be conducted in conjunction with the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)'s Coordinated
Remedy Program.
- Rental Car Loaner Program: Apart
from any existing rental car loaner programs, the
automakers will make rental or loaner vehicles
available upon request to eligible customers,
as defined in the respective settlement agreements, and for whom
parts are not available within 30 days. This program will begin 30
days after preliminary approval of the agreement.
- Out-of-Pocket-Claims and Residual
Distribution: Eligible customers may submit requests for
reimbursement of reasonable out-of-pocket expenses related to
the Takata airbag inflator
recalls and/or may register for residual
payments. The
Settlement Special Administrator will determine the
types of reimbursable costs and class
members' eligibility to receive payments
for these claims.
- Fees and Administration: Costs related to class member
notification, claims administration, attorneys' fees and
expenses, class representative awards, and any other
costs are also covered under the proposed settlements.
Further, in addition to performing the recall remedy, the
automakers will each offer a Customer Support
Program (CSP) for vehicles covered by these proposed
settlements. The CSPs will provide prospective coverage
for repairs and adjustments (including parts and
labor) needed to correct defects in materials or workmanship
in the Takata phase stabilized ammonium nitrate
("PSAN") inflators contained in the affected airbag
modules or any replacement inflators installed as part of
the remedy, subject to the terms and conditions of
each agreement.
These agreements cover the four automakers'
vehicles already recalled or subject to any future recall
for Takata PSAN inflators used in driver or front passenger airbag
modules,* as described in NHTSA's 2015 Consent Orders and
any amendments. Importantly, these agreements do not contain
or constitute any admission of liability or fault
by the four automakers.
For more information on the Takata MDL economic
loss settlement, consumers are asked to visit
http://www.autoairbagsettlement.com or call 888-735-5596.
The size, scope and complexity of the Takata airbag recalls, as
well as the age of some of the involved vehicles, have impacted
recall remedy completion rates. These settlements' focus on
outreach is intended to increase completion rates, and the
automakers strongly encourage all consumers in the U.S. who own any
vehicle – regardless of make, model or age – to log on to NHTSA's
recall website at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls, to ensure that any
open recalls are addressed immediately.
*Note – Subaru vehicles are not equipped with driver-side Takata
airbags.
About BMW
BMW of North America, LLC has
been present in the United States
since 1975. The BMW Group sales organization is represented in the
U.S. through networks of 341 BMW passenger car and BMW Sports
Activity Vehicle dealers. BMW of North America's sales headquarters for
North America, is located in
Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey.
About Mazda
Mazda North American Operations is a wholly owned subsidiary of
Mazda Motor Corporation of Japan,
and is headquartered in Irvine,
California, and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and
customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through more than 600 dealers.
Operations in Mexico are managed
by Mazda Motor de Mexico in
Mexico City. For more information
on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, visit the
online Mazda media center at InsideMazda.MazdaUSA.com/Newsroom.
About Subaru
Subaru of America, Inc. is celebrating 50 years in the US and is
a wholly owned subsidiary of Subaru Corporation of Japan. Headquartered at a zero-landfill office
in Cherry Hill, N.J., the company
markets and distributes Subaru vehicles, parts and accessories
through a network of more than 620 retailers across the United States. All Subaru products are
manufactured in zero-landfill production plants and Subaru of
Indiana Automotive, Inc. is the only U.S. automobile production
plant to be designated a backyard wildlife habitat by the National
Wildlife Federation. For additional information visit
media.subaru.com. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and
Instagram.
About Toyota
Toyota (NYSE:TM) has been a part of the cultural fabric in
the U.S. and North America for 60
years, and is committed to advancing sustainable, next-generation
mobility through our Toyota and Lexus brands. During that
time, Toyota has created a tremendous value chain as our teams have
contributed to world-class design, engineering, and assembly
of more than 33 million cars and trucks in North America, where we operate 14
manufacturing plants (10 in the U.S.) and directly employ
more than 46,000 people (more than 36,000 in the U.S.).
Our 1,800 North American dealerships (nearly 1,500 in the
U.S.) sold almost 2.7 million cars and trucks
(2.45 million in the U.S.) in 2016 – and about 85 percent
of all Toyota vehicles sold over the past 15 years are still
on the road today.
Toyota partners with community, civic, academic, and
governmental organizations to address our society's most pressing
mobility challenges. We share company resources and extensive
know-how to support non-profits to help expand their ability to
assist more people move more places. For more information about
Toyota, visit www.toyotanewsroom.com.
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SOURCE Mazda North American Operations; Subaru of America, Inc.;
BMW of North America, LLC; Toyota
Motor North America