Drivers cautioned over faulty air bags

UPDATE 10/21/14 12:51 p.m. HST: NHTSA is experiencing intermittent network issues that are making some functions on SaferCar.gov temporarily unavailable. 

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Federal auto safety regulators are warning the owners of certain vehicle models with defective air bags, particularly in humid areas such as Hawaii, to "act immediately" to get them fixed.

The air bags have caused at least two deaths in the United States, with the propellant rupturing its container and shooting metal shards at the driver and front-seat passenger.

More than 13,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Hawaii, plus thousands more BMWs, Hondas, Mazdas and Nissans in the islands, are potentially at risk due to faulty inflaters in the air bags made by Takata Corp.

Those vehicles are among the 4.7 million total flagged Monday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The agency urged vehicle owners in states like Hawaii and Florida in particular, where there’s high humidity, to act quickly to contact auto dealers for fixes. Takata Corp. has told the safety agency it is concerned that the problem is more likely to occur in such a climate.

Many of the vehicles already have been recalled in recent years. The rare action by federal regulators indicates a heightened concern over the air bags, which are linked to at least two U.S. deaths. In a statement, the agency said its warning was prompted by new test results from Takata.

It further urged people to check whether their car has been recalled by going to www.safercar.gov/vin and typing in their vehicle identification number.

On the heels of the new safety warning, Toyota and Lexus dealers in Hawaii issued a voluntary recall, stating that they would start sending letters early next week to the owners, who should bring their cars to a local dealer to fix the air bag problem.

In the meantime, Toyota Hawaii recommended that those with cars potentially affected by the problem not allow anyone to sit in the front passenger seat until the air bags are fixed, or until they can confirm that the air bag was fixed under a previous recall (or not affected by the problem at all).

On Oahu, owners could wait anywhere between two to four weeks for the next available appointment with a dealership, according to Kim Randall, Servco Pacific Inc. vice president of sales and marketing. However, some Oahu dealerships have reported available slots later this week, she added.

There’s a worldwide shortage of replacement parts to fix the air bags, so at some appointments the dealer will merely disable the front passenger air bag and the owner will have to return later to have the repair finished, according to a Toyota Hawaii statement.

There have been no reports of accidents in Hawaii involving malfunctioning air bags in any recalled vehicles, the statement added.

In regulatory filings, Takata has told the NHTSA that the propellant — intended to burn quickly and produce gas to inflate the air bag — is defective. When a crash occurs, the propellant is too strong and can rupture its container, shooting metal parts at the front-seat occupants.

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VEHICLES IN THE 2013 AND 2014 RECALLS INVOLVING TAKATA AIRBAGS:

Toyota: 778,177 potentially affected vehicles

2002 – 2004 Lexus SC

2003 – 2004 Toyota Corolla

2003 – 2004 Toyota Corolla Matrix

2002 – 2004 Toyota Sequoia

2003 – 2004 Toyota Tundra

2003 – 2004 Pontiac Vibe

Honda: 2,803,214 potentially affected vehicles

2001 – 2007 Honda Accord (4 cyl)

2001 – 2002 Honda Accord (6 cyl)

2001 – 2005 Honda Civic

2002 – 2006 Honda CR-V

2003 – 2011 Honda Element

2002 – 2004 Honda Odyssey

2003 – 2007 Honda Pilot

2006 – Honda Ridgeline

2003 – 2006 Acura MDX

2002 – 2003 Acura TL/CL

Nissan: 437,712 potentially affected vehicles

2001 – 2003 Nissan Maxima

2001 – 2003 Nissan Pathfinder

2002 – 2003 Nissan Sentra

2001 – 2003 Infiniti I30/I35

2002 – 2003 Infiniti QX4

2003 – Infiniti FX

Mazda: 18,050 potentially affected vehicles

2003 – 2004 Mazda6

2004 – Mazda RX-8

BMW: 573,935 potentially affected vehicles

2000 – 2005 3 Series Sedan

2000 – 2006 3 Series Coupe

2000 – 2005 3 Series Sports Wagon

2000 – 2006 3 Series Convertible

2001 – 2006 M3 Coupe

2001 – 2006 M3 Convertible

General Motors: 133,221 potentially affected vehicles

2002 – 2003 Buick LeSabre

2002 – 2003 Buick Rendezvous

2002 – 2003 Cadillac DeVille

2002 – 2003 Chevrolet Trailblazer

2002 – 2003 Chevrolet Impala

2002 – 2003 Chevrolet Monte Carlo

2002 – 2003 Chevrolet Venture

2002 – 2003 GMC Envoy

2002 – 2003 GMC Envoy XL

2002 – 2003 Oldsmobile Aurora

2002 – 2003 Oldsmobile Bravada

2002 – 2003 Oldsmobile Silhouette

2002 – 2003 Pontiac Bonneville

2002 – 2003 Pontiac Montana