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It's Officially The Worst Year For Recalls; Should You Worry?

This article is more than 9 years old.

The big safety campaign for potentially defective airbags has tipped the number of recalled cars and trucks above 52 million for 2014. Put another way, that means one out of five vehicles on American roads has been the subject of a recall.

2014 is already the worst year on record for recalls, surpassing the 30 million vehicles recalled in 2004. And that's just through late October. If recalls continue at anything like the current pace, we could easily double that record this year.

Fellow FORBES contributor Jim Gorzelany offers some steps on what to do if your vehicle is among the 7.8 million recalled for an airbag related issue. That recall, which has been simmering for years, has now widened to include 11 car companies, including BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota.

It primarily affects cars and trucks built from 2000 to 2008, and equipped with airbag inflators built by Japanese supplier Takata. However, given that the number of vehicles has increased twice in the past week, it's likely that more vehicles will be recalled in this campaign. And, of course, more recalls for other problems on other cars continue.

An inflated side airbag (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The situation has caused a number of people to ask, "What ever happened to automotive quality?" It's also causing some folks to wonder whether they are safe behind the wheel. That's understandable, since you can never be expected to know about intricate electrical or mechanic components deep inside your car. Rest assured: there is no need to panic.

But there are some things you can do to proactively keep your vehicle in top shape. Here are a few things that can help you sort through your fears.

  1. How old is your car? It's an established fact. As cars age, parts wear out. That's exactly what we're seeing with the Takata produced airbag inflation devices. After all, the oldest of those devices was produced 14 years ago. Technology has made great strides since then, and durability has improved. But even the finest vehicle can't escape the passage of time. Conversely, if your vehicle is a puppy, you can probably be less concerned.
  2. How much info do you have? The average car on the road is about 11 years old. That doesn't mean the same person has owned it all those years, however. Did you buy it used? Did you know the person from whom you bought it? Was it a certified used car, subject to dealer verification? The more information you can get about your car, the better you will be able to judge its durability.
  3. How well have you maintained it? Do you take your car for regular oil changes, for routine maintenance, for the recommended in-depth maintenance? What does your mechanic recommend fixing? How are your tires holding up?  Any care you can take of your car helps prolong its life and keep the things you can address safe.
  4. Are you booking repair appointments? Automakers are required to notify owners of voluntary recall programs or campaigns that involve vehicle defects. But, they won't chase you down to book a time to make repairs. It's your responsibility to book appointments with your dealer to get defects fixed. Don't put them off.
  5. Have you kept track? Everyone should keep a file of the work they have done on their car, in addition to the paperwork that is on hand at the car dealer. You should also ask other drivers in your household whether they've encountered any problems with the vehicle. Keep notes if something seems to go wrong frequently, and call your dealer or mechanic if you discover a pattern.

Various car companies are recommending different steps in response to the airbag recalls. If you have one of the vehicles in the airbag recall, one move you could consider making is turning off the passenger side airbag and not letting anyone ride in the front passenger seat until you can have it looked at.

That isn't practical for most families, so the best thing to do is make sure your dealer or mechanic knows that you want to get your vehicle inspected and repaired as soon as possible. And, take all the steps you can to make sure your vehicle is in top running order.

 

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