Wow: Even the Head of the NHTSA Can’t Find Replacement Parts for His Takata Airbag

Mark Rosekind, the 15th Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), has first-hand experience in owning a dangerous car that the manufacturer can’t fix.

According to numerous press reports, repairs on his wife’s vehicle – a model listed in the Takata airbag recall – can’t be done yet because the parts aren’t available. Scores of other Americans share Rosekind’s problem.

The Takata airbag event, the largest auto recall in the country’s history, has involved 24 million vehicles. Critics contend that some defective airbag inflators explode when exposed to too much force. Spewed shrapnel from the blasts has caused 100 injuries and at least 10 deaths worldwide. Manufacturers have replaced only 7.1 million inflators, so the majority of the people who own vehicles with these defective airbags must wait a long time for proper replacement parts.

Tests reveal the ammonium nitrate used in the inflators deteriorates over time in high temperatures and humidity. Since the Gulf Coast presents a greater risk, because of its humid, hot climate, NHTSA has prioritized the servicing of older vehicles in this area.

A wide assortment of makes and models has been affected by the recall; to determine whether you need servicing, check your vehicle identification number with the NHTSA Takata database. If your find it on the list, ask the manufacturer what steps you can take to stay safe while waiting on parts to become available. Once the parts are in, get the repairs done as quickly as possible.

Update on Takata Airbag Reall and Answers to Frequently Asked Questiosn (FAQs) About It.

Call our Washington D.C. car accident attorneys to discuss how to get fair and complete compensation for any damages caused by defective auto parts.

About the Author

Patrick M. Regan, Esq.

Patrick Regan is a board certified personal injury lawyer and a founding partner at Regan Zambri Long. His practice is devoted to helping those who suffered catastrophic injuries in car accidents, truck accidents, Metro accidents, and medical malpractice. Over his nearly 40-year career, Patrick has obtained some of the most significant jury verdicts in the history of Washington, DC on behalf of injured victims. Patrick is licensed to practice law in Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland. He received his B.A. at Hamilton College and his J.D. at the Columbus School of Law at the Catholic University of America.