Recall Notice Came Too Late and Another Life is Lost to the Deadly Takata Airbag Recall
Tragically, there has been a 7th reported death linked to the Takata recalls that we cautioned in our October 24 blog. Kylan Langlinais, a 22 year old Louisiana woman got an airbag recall notice in the mail for her 2005 Honda Civic two days after she suffered critical injuries from the flying airbag inflator shrapnel that killed her. After the car left the road and hit a utility pole, the driver’s side air bag exploded with such a force that the internal air canister ruptured and sprayed deadly metal shards in the passenger compartment reports Bloomberg News.
Tokyo-based Takata is a manufacturer of the widely installed airbag used by over a dozen auto manufacturers. Since the first death from the defective airbag product in 2004, the toll has been rising and injuries of those who have survived have been catastrophic. After heavy pressure from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, on May 19, 2015 Takata yet again expanded their recall to cover nearly 34 million vehicles- the largest product-safety recall in U.S. history.
Where Do I Check for Recalls: Be Proactive
So what is a car owner to do nowadays? Every time we turnaround, there is another recall. In the United States we have an expectation of safety as consumers but we are learning quickly that we have to exercise due diligence in carefully selecting a vehicle by never trusting the dealership or previous owner’s word for it and investigating for ourselves. Staying on top of constant recalls will help to ensure your personal safety, the safety of your family and other drivers on the road, not to mention your peace of mind. As of March 15, 2015, the following list was the most recent set of recalls made available through the NHTSA:
Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s)
ACURA / CL 2003
ACURA / MDX 2003-2006
ACURA / RL 2005
ACURA / TL 2002-2003
BMW / 3 SERIES 2002
BMW / 325CI 2004-2006
BMW / 325I 2004-2006
BMW / 325XI 2004-2005
BMW / 330CI 2004-2006
BMW / 330I 2004-2006
BMW / 330XI 2004-2005
BMW / M3 2004-2006
CHRYSLER / 300 2005-2007
CHRYSLER / 300C 2005-2007
CHRYSLER / ASPEN 2007
CHRYSLER / SRT8 2005-2007
DODGE / CHARGER 2005-2007
DODGE / DAKOTA 2005-2007
DODGE / DURANGO 2004-2007
DODGE / MAGNUM 2005-2007
DODGE / RAM 1500 2003-2007
DODGE / RAM 2500 2003-2007
DODGE / RAM 3500 2003-2007
FORD / GT 2005-2006
FORD / MUSTANG 2005-2008
FORD / RANGER 2004-2005
HONDA / ACCORD 2001-2007
HONDA / CIVIC 2001-2005
HONDA / CIVIC HYBRID 2003-2005
HONDA / CR-V 2002-2006
HONDA / ELEMENT 2003-2011
HONDA / ODYSSEY 2002-2004
HONDA / PILOT 2003-2007
HONDA / RIDGELINE 2006
INFINITI / FX35 2003-2005
INFINITI / FX45 2003-2005
INFINITI / I35 2003-2004
INFINITI / M35 2006
INFINITI / M45 2006
LEXUS / SC 2002-2005
MAZDA / B-SERIES TRUCK 2004-2005
MAZDA / MAZDA6 2003-2008
MAZDA / MAZDASPEED6 2006-2007
MAZDA / MPV 2004-2005
MAZDA / RX-8 2004-2008
MITSUBISHI / LANCER 2004-2005
MITSUBISHI / RAIDER 2006-2007
NISSAN / PATHFINDER 2003-2004
NISSAN / SENTRA 2004-2006
PONTIAC / VIBE 2003-2005
SAAB / 9-2X 2005
SUBARU / BAJA 2003-2005
SUBARU / IMPREZA 2003-2005
SUBARU / LEGACY 2003-2005
SUBARU / OUTBACK 2003-2005
TOYOTA / COROLLA 2002-2005
TOYOTA / COROLLA MATRIX 2003-2005
TOYOTA / SEQUOIA 2002-2005
TOYOTA / TUNDRA 2003-2005
If you do not see your vehicle on this list, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you are in the clear. The recall expansion is continuously growing and this list may have changed by the time you read this blog. We urge you to take the extra step to ensure your peace of mind and visit safercar.gov. Simply type in your VIN number and you will be able to find out immediately if your vehicle is subject this or other recalls.
If you or someone you know has been injured or lost their life as a result of a defective vehicle or vehicle part, please contact us immediately. The wrongful death and personal injury attorneys at Rocky McElhaney Law Firm have the right experience and the right resources to get you and your family the justice you deserve. We have gone up against billion dollar insurance companies and won. We fight for the maximum. We fight your your future. We fight for you. (615) 425-2500