Are Dealers Going To Be Overwhelmed By Takata Airbag Recall?

In its initial report, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration gave out inaccurate information about a large Takata airbag recall. The very organization that is typically responsible for informing the public about safety risks associated with factory recalls missed the mark by around three million vehicles. Reports indicate that around 30 million vehicles nationwide may have dangerous airbag defects, however only 7.8 million have been recalled. To make matters more confusing for the general public, the website that the NHTSA urged motorists to visit in order to find out if their vehicle was affected, safecar.gov, had a broken search function for nearly two days after their report. Just weeks removed from testimony before congress for what was called a mishandling of the GM ignition recall fiasco, the NHTSA hasn’t done a lot to rebuild public trust.

The Deputy Director of the NHTSA, David Friedman urged motorists earlier this week to find out if their vehicle would require recall repairs. “Responding to these recalls, whether old or new, is essential to personal safety and it will help aid our ongoing investigation into Takata,” Friedman said. The problem is that when the public sought out that information, the government website was all but useless. According to the NYT, the Takata airbag recall has been linked with three deaths and over 100 injuries. The airbag systems have been known to prematurely engage, sending shrapnel into the cabin of the vehicle.

Senators Richard Blumenthal and Edward J. Markey sent a letter to the NHTSA critical of their handling of the airbag recall situation. Senator Markey spoke to CBS News about the NHTSA’s handling of the situation. “NHTSA is not ready, Markey said.” This is a system which clearly is broken. These airbags are ticking time bombs and any one of them could go off in any car at any time.” The situation could prove challenging for dealerships to facilitate.

Will dealerships become overwhelmed by the demand for repairs? Reports indicate that not all manufacturers have enough parts to keep up with the possible demand for repairs. What will you say when customers come in for recall repairs? Does a large-scale airbag recall for BMW, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru and Toyota affect your dealership? What do you think the lasting impact of this recall will be?