FREE Recall Repairs Available at Any
Dealership
State and federal agencies are joining forces to educate
California residents on free tools to check the recall status on
their vehicles and have any open recalls fixed. This simple step is
especially critical for the roughly 700,000 vehicles in California
that still have defective, potentially deadly airbags almost a
decade after the largest automotive recall in history.
The Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), New Motor Vehicle Board
(NMVB), California New Car Dealers Association, National Safety
Council (NSC), and Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA)
joined together during a news conference today at the Cerritos Auto
Square in a continuing effort to alert vehicle owners of the urgent
safety risks of unchecked recalls and that they are free to
repair.
The important message to “check to protect” the recall status of
vehicles comes nearly 10 years since the start of the largest and
most complex safety recall in automotive history, covering more
than 67 million affected vehicles worldwide. Referred to as the
“Takata Airbag Recall” for the name of the now bankrupt parts
supplier, the airbag cannisters in defective airbag inflators could
explode and spray sharp metal fragments toward the driver and
passengers – like shrapnel from an exploding grenade. The defective
airbags have killed 27 people in the U.S., including four
California residents, and caused more than 400 injuries
nationwide.
Since the Takata Airbag Recall started in June 2014, California
has more vehicles still with defective airbags than any other state
– roughly 700,000 vehicles, according to the NSC – posing a
potentially life-threatening safety risk. More than half of
California vehicles with defective airbags are in Los Angeles (more
than 200,000), Riverside (more than 90,000) and Sacramento (more
than 60,000).
“The Takata Airbag Recall has helped make lifesaving repairs on
millions of vehicles, but after nearly 10 years there are still
more than a half a million vehicle owners in California who might
not be aware they are driving an unsafe vehicle,” OTS Director
Barbara Rooney said. “We are joining forces to intensify our
efforts so every Californian knows there is an easy way to check if
their vehicle has an open safety recall – CheckToProtect.org – and
that, if it does, it is free and easy to get it fixed.”
Certain vehicles made between 2000-2010 are considered
especially high risk of Takata defects that they now have a “do not
drive” warning, underscoring the urgency to have car owners check
for recalls.
“If your vehicle has an open safety recall, don’t wait –
schedule to get it fixed for free at a local dealership right
away,” NMVB Executive Director Tim Corcoran said. “Car dealerships
are obligated to repair any recall free of charge, whether you
purchased your vehicle there or not. We want California drivers to
understand the urgency to get your recall fixed as soon as possible
and that the service is free.”
“The safety of customers and fixing recalls is a top priority,”
CNCDA President Brian Maas said. “All of our dealers want to make
sure your car is working efficiently and safely any time you are
driving.”
“Automobile recalls help ensure that all cars and trucks on our
roads are safe to drive, not only for the occupants of that vehicle
but also for all other road users who share the roads, including
pedestrians,” AAA Senior Public Affairs Specialist Anlleyn Venegas
said.
There more than 50 million vehicles in the U.S. with unresolved
safety recalls, according to the NSC. With nearly 28 million
drivers and 35.8 million registered vehicles – the most of any
state – California has the highest number of unrepaired
vehicles.
In February, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)
started including vehicle safety recall information on vehicle
registration renewal notices for vehicles with open recalls.
Later this month, the DMV will also start issuing notices to the
last known registered owners of vehicles on file with defective
Takata airbags that have not been fixed. The notice provides
resources for scheduling a free repair and information on how to
check for any open vehicle recalls.
Due to automakers and even the DMV not always having the most
recent vehicle owner data on file, it is critical that vehicle
owners use the NSC’s free Check to Protect program to check the
recall status of their vehicle online at CheckToProtect.org. The
program encourages vehicle owners to check for any open recalls
every three months and to schedule free recall repairs as soon as a
fix is available. The website allows you to determine if your
vehicle is eligible for a free and potentially lifesaving repair by
entering the license plate or vehicle identification number.
“Safety on the roadways must be a top priority for everyone,”
said Lonny Haschel, senior manager of the Check to Protect program
at the National Safety Council. “With millions of recalled vehicles
being used every day, it’s important for drivers to make sure the
vehicle they are driving is safe. All roadway users – in California
and beyond – are safer when vehicle safety recalls are
repaired.”
Businesses and other organizations that operate fleets can also
conduct bulk recall checks on the NSC website.
All recalls are repaired for free at authorized dealers,
regardless of where the vehicle was purchased. For more information
on safety recalls, visit CheckToProtect.org.
ABOUT THE OFFICE OF TRAFFIC SAFETY
The OTS administers traffic safety grants that deliver
innovative programs to eliminate traffic fatalities and injuries on
California roads. Addressing behavioral issues such as alcohol and
drug-impaired driving, distracted driving, occupant protection, and
bicycle and pedestrian safety, the OTS strives to create safer
roads for all. To learn more about the OTS, visit ots.ca.gov.
Follow the OTS on Twitter and Instagram @OTS_CA, on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/CaliforniaOTS and on the OTS YouTube channel.
ABOUT THE NEW MOTOR VEHICLE BOARD
The NMVB, in its quasi-judicial capacity, is charged with the
administration of Chapter 6 of the Vehicle Code, primarily
applicable to new motor vehicle dealers, manufacturers, and
distributors participating in the new motor vehicle franchise
system in California. The mission of the NMVB is to enhance
relationships between dealers and manufacturers throughout the
state by resolving disputes in the new motor vehicle industry in an
efficient, fair, and cost-effective manner. To learn more about the
NMVB consumer mediation services and legal programs, visit
nvmb.ca.gov.
ABOUT THE CALIFORNIA NEW CAR DEALERS ASSOCIATION
(CNCDA)
The Nation’s Largest State Automobile Dealer Association, CNCDA
represents nearly 1,200 franchised new car and truck dealers
throughout California. Our members are primarily engaged in the
retail sale and lease of new vehicles, and also engage in
automotive service, repair, and part sales. CNCDA focuses on
protecting and promoting the interests of franchised new car and
truck dealers before all state government and regulatory agencies.
CNCDA works to create a business-friendly climate where franchised
dealers can thrive, provide the best products and services to
consumers, and maintain gainful employment.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL
The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit
safety advocate – and has been for more than 100 years. As a
mission-based organization, we work to eliminate the leading causes
of preventable death and injury, focusing our efforts on the
workplace, roadway, and impairment. We create a culture of safety
to not only keep people safer at work, but also beyond the
workplace so they can live their fullest lives.
ABOUT THE AUTOMOBILE CLUB OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
The Automobile Club of Southern California is a member club
affiliated with the American Automobile Association (AAA) national
federation and serves members in the following California counties:
Inyo, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Mono, Orange, Riverside, San
Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Tulare, and
Ventura. Established in 1902 by nine motor clubs with fewer than
1,500 members, today AAA provides more than 61 million members with
automotive, travel, insurance, and financial services through its
federation of 32 motor clubs and more than 1,000 branch offices
across North America. For more than 115 years, AAA has been a
leader and advocate for safe mobility.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20240514458662/en/
Tim Weisberg, OTS Deputy Director, Marketing and Public Affairs
916-708-5128, timothy.weisberg@ots.ca.gov