Airbag recall - Final Update

I just found out that my car is part of the new round of airbag recalls and it's kind of freaking me out. I called the dealer and they will give me a rental car until it can be fixed (somewhere between the summer and December ). But, I love my car and don't really want to give it up for 4-9 months. Anyone else dealing with this? What did you do? Like I said, knowing how dangerous the airbag could be is scaring me, but I've been driving the car for over 3 years with no problem, so maybe I'm overreacting?

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Update: for anyone doing the rental or contemplating it - I picked up the rental car this morning. It's much nicer than I expected. Its a very new, full size car - actually bigger than my Acura TL, and has many of the features I have in my car that I didn't want to have to give up for however many months - blue tooth phone connection, back up camera, keyless entry and start. So, now, I'm really glad I decided to go with the rental.

Acura did ask me to sign something saying that it was my choice to keep my Acura at home, that it was their policy to keep the car at the dealership until it is fixed - which was not what I was told (I was told the dealer WOULD NOT keep my car).So I made them cross that part out and signed the statement that my car will not be driven until it is brought in to be fixed.

Final Update 6/16: So, after 2 1/2 months with a rental car, they came this morning, put my car on a flat bed to bring to the dealer and FINALLY put in a new airbag in my car. I was able to pick it up tonight. So happy to have my car back!

Message edited 6/16/2016 8:16:36 PM.

Airbag recall

There are millions of people still driving in their cars (myself included.)

If they gave everyone a rental car, there would be no rental/loaner cars left in North America.

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What car company is your car? My airbag was recalled from Honda. We had to wait 3 weeks for an appointment. I wasn't too worried about it. We dropped it off and than picked it up a few hours later.

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Posted by Hofstra26

Posted by chilltocam

Posted by mnmsoinlove

What car company is your car? My airbag was recalled from Honda. We had to wait 3 weeks for an appointment. I wasn't too worried about it. We dropped it off and than picked it up a few hours later.

It's an Acura. When I called the dealer, they told me they "should" have the parts by December! The letter I got from Acura says the parts "will become available in the Summer of 2016". The woman at the dealership sort of laughed when I told her what the letter said. Ugh.

I know there are millions of people driving cars with the same problem. It freaked me out when the issue first came to light and I was so happy that my car wasn't included in the recall. But now it's been added. And knowing I do have the option of having a rental covered, but I don't really want to, I'm kind of torn about what to do.

I'm confused. You're not going to lose your car for months, why would you think that? How could the dealers possibly store the hundreds of thousands of cars that would need to come back in a recall?

Whenever the parts become available you call the dealer, make a service appt, and they will get you your car back a few hours later all fixed up. I'm not sure why you think they would take the car for months. When they recall cars they just give the dealers the parts and you bring your car to be serviced like any other service call.

Message edited 3/29/2016 3:02:29 PM.

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Posted by chilltocam

I just found out that my car is part of the new round of airbag recalls and it's kind of freaking me out. I called the dealer and they will give me a rental car until it can be fixed (somewhere between the summer and December ). But, I love my car and don't really want to give it up for 4-9 months. Anyone else dealing with this? What did you do? Like I said, knowing how dangerous the airbag could be is scaring me, but I've been driving the car for over 3 years with no problem, so maybe I'm overreacting?

Airbag recall

The defect supposedly happens more in humid conditions, so right now priority is given from the south to the north.

I wouldn't take the rental - I would be more worried because the percentage is higher I would get into an accident in the rental and then that whole mess then the airbag deploying and causing an injury/death.

I think 8 people have died and 100 were injured out of ~40 million cars with the problem.

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I would absolutely take the rental. Why not? It's safer and doesn't cost you anything.

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If you have an accident the airbag could potentially kill you--do you want to take that chance? I think declining a rental car because you like your car and want to continue driving it despite a mechanical problem that could lead to death is taking an unnecessary risk--even if ONLY 8 people died--That is eight lives that could have been saved if the company was aware of the problem sooner- eight families that could have been spared the pain of losing a loved one--get the rental car!

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Airbag recall

We got the same letter from Acura. It does say that you can get a rental until the parts become available. I haven't called about it yet and I know it sounds horrible but I don't know if I will. What kind of cars are these rentals? I keep picturing a hoopti with roll down windows and a cassette player.

I think I'd be a bit more crazed if it were our primary car- it's not and we don't drive dd in it. Not that I want to be killed by a faulty airbag, but we can easily use our other car if need be (though its irritating to pay a lease under those circumstances).

Message edited 3/29/2016 4:43:30 PM.

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I think you'd be a fool NOT to take the rental. Why wouldn't you? It's covered, you have insurance and you can just as easily get in an accident with your car, just like the rental.

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Funny, my car that I got rid of and had for 10 years was is on that recall list. But I was never in an accident in those 10 years so the airbag never deployed. Hubby has a car also on the list and it is barely used. He has still been using it….I can't imagine all the people with these recalls getting rentals. Not that I think it's something to take lightly, but sheesh, the parts aren't available. What are people really supposed to do with this info??

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We got the letter last week. 2011 Honda CRV. Driver's side. Called Bay Ridge Honda, they will cover a rental car for up to $35 but the cost is $40 a day so we'd have to pay $5 a day FOR MONTHS UNTIL THE PART IS IN!!!
AND they wanted us to sign an agreement that we wouldn't drive the car, they record the mileage etc!!!

DH went in to another dealer, they were going to give us the rental car for free but again they don't want you to drive the car for months, which is going to ruin tires, among other things! You can't leave a car sitting for months. Dealers know this but they are still telling us to do this, and it's not warrantied work either when it sits! DH told them where to go.

We are driving the car.

The kicker is, many of the replacement air bags were made by the same company that covered up the issues in the first place, and the replacements are also failing! Why this company isn't banned or car companies are allowed to use them is beyond me. Read through this whole thing and your head will explode:

car and driver timeline

from the article: UPDATE 6/4/2015, 3:00 p.m.: Takata has informed Reuters that at least 10 percent of the 4 million replacement airbag inflators installed as part of these recalls will have to be replaced again. The number could be much greater, as Reuters notes, “the safety of more than 3 million replacement parts [is also] in question.” A NHTSA official said the agency will push Takata and individual carmakers to “demonstrate to us that the remedy parts are safe for the life of the vehicle.”

Message edited 3/29/2016 10:58:41 PM.

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I just got that same letter today. I'm going to call Acura tomorrow. I need to get a new car anyway because of DC3 on the way, so maybe I'll make the move now.

Airbag recall

I have a Honda Fit that's on the list. I called the dealer today and without even asking they said they are giving out rentals from Hertz. I think I am going to do it. I have a six week old baby and it kind of scares me to think something could happen. I have been in a slight accident in the car before and I am assuming the rentals are not run down cars. I can always turn it down if I see it is. I can't decide if I am crazy for taking the rental or not. DH and my Dad both say to do it.

Airbag recall

DH and I spoke about it last night and I had decided to go with the rental, but now I am reading about what you should do to your car if it will be unused for a long period of time and it is a lot of things that I don't think we can't do on our own, so how do we get that done and then get the car back home? And then it has me worried about problems that will arise with my car after leaving it sit for so long. Ugh! I'm going to call Acura today to see what info they can give about that

Message edited 3/30/2016 9:44:02 AM.