FLORIDA — Drivers who own Honda and Acura vehicles are being urged by the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles to get their “potentially deadly" airbags fixed.
The state announced Thursday that drivers who own certain 2001-2003 Honda and Acura vehicles should replace their Takata airbag inflators.
Notices were sent last month by the DHSMV and Honda/Acura to most affected owners and the notices should not be ignored, state officials said.
Andre Kiffin told Channel 9's Jeff Levkulich that he was injured when his Takata airbag exploded.
"Everything has changed since the accident," Kiffin said. "I have to depend on my parents to handle everything."
Attorney Frank Melton has represented Kiffin and dozens of others over the years who've said they were injured by faulty airbags.
"These cases are terrible. You think about it, these are a safety device that is supposed to save people's lives and lessen injuries in the event of a crash, and you are turning it into a grenade that explodes in your face," Melton said.
Melton said Honda and Acura vehicles have already been mandated by the federal government to have the inflators replaced, but in most cases, there are not enough parts available.
"They get these safety recalls, they bring their vehicles into the dealerships like they are asked to, and they are turned away. They are also being asked not to drive the vehicles at the same time, so it's a really big problem and there is no simple solution for it," Melton said.
Drivers can call 1-888-234-2138 for repair information. To search for an authorized dealer, consumers can visit www.recalls.honda.com or www.recalls.acura.com, depending on the make of their vehicle, the state said.
Drivers can click here to see if their car is affected by the recall.
Consumers also can find answers to general questions about the Takata airbag inflator recalls, including about the higher risk inflators in these vehicles: http://hondaairbaginfo.com/faq/. Any concerned customer can also contact Honda/Acura's Automobile Customer Service at 888-234-2138.
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