South Florida Injury Lawyer Blog
Airbags are a tremendous development in automobile safety, saving untold lives every year. But when they don’t work properly, the passengers and drivers are not protected, and the defective airbags themselves can, in fact, cause harm. It’s important to check your manufacturer’s recalls to determine if your car is safe. If you have already been injured by faulty airbags and you are a resident of Florida, I may be able to help you receive the compensation you deserve for their negligence.
2023 Toyota and Lexus airbag recall
The most recent recall, July 2023, is the recall of over 110,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles to repair faulty wiring in the steering column. Apparently, an electrical connection was not welded properly at the factory. The cable within the column could detach, disabling the driver-side airbag and causing the airbag light to be illumined.
Vehicles affected include sedans, SUVs, hybrids, and pickups. The dealer will make repairs for free and will provide rental vehicles for free when necessary.
Takata airbag recall
In 2016, Toyota filed a safety recall of their Takata airbags, based on new information indicating that passenger-side airbag inflators may experience propellant degradation. The degradation creates extensive internal pressure, which may cause the airbag to rupture upon deployment.
Multiple independent investigations determined that time, temperature, and humidity contribute to significant degradation, leading to an unreasonable risk of inflator rupture. This puts vehicles in Florida at significant risk, given our year-round humidity and heat.
This is an extremely dangerous situation. In addition to leaving the passenger vulnerable in an accident, the ruptured airbag could spray sharp metal fragments at the occupants, potentially causing serious injury.
The Takata airbag recall is the largest recall in automotive history, affecting 19 automakers and 65-70 million vehicles. If your vehicle is equipped with this airbag, do not allow people to ride in the passenger seat until it is repaired.
How to check for a recall
How do you know if your car has a defective airbag or any other recall? The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), part of the Department of Transportation, has a helpful website, nhtsa.gov/recalls, where you can enter your vehicle identification number (VIN). The VIN search tool will show you any unrepaired vehicle safety recalls in the past 15 years. The search tool will not indicate a repair that may have been done by the owner of the car and does not show recalls for international vehicles or small, ultra-luxury brands or specialty applications.
There may also be a delay in very recent recalls, as it can take time to load all affected VINs. If you purchased your vehicle from a dealer, you can contact them about any recalls. They will be aware of the most recent recalls and can tell you if your vehicle is affected.
As a Florida personal injury lawyer, I am committed to helping Florida residents throughout the state receive just and fair compensation to help them cope with the injuries they have sustained through someone else’s negligence. If you’ve been injured by a vehicle defect, contact me at (954) 448-7288, 24/7 for a free consultation to see how I can help you. I fight for the little guy against the big corporations to get you the compensation you deserve.