Recalled without repairs: Why some drivers still can’t get dangerous Takata airbags fixed
The Center for Auto Safety is the nation’s premier independent, member driven, non-profit consumer advocacy organization dedicated to improving vehicle safety, quality, and fuel economy on behalf of all drivers, passengers, and pedestrians.
“Here we are, two-and-a-half years after the initial recall was announced and they’re still having a parts availability problem,” said Michael Brooks, the executive director of the Center for Auto Safety. “That’s pretty clearly a mess up on the part of the manufacturer.”
By Susan Campbell
July 18, 2025
Keelyn Steffes and her little yellow 2015 Volkswagen Beetle go way back. “This has been my baby for almost a decade,” she said. “I feel like she’s betraying me.”
In May, Kim Steffes, Keelyn’s mom, got an urgent recall notice from Volkswagen. “It said that the air bag on my daughter’s car that’s registered to me was defective and could cause, and they put in bold capital letters, serious injury and even death,” Steffes said.
Over the years, manufacturers across the automotive industry have recalled 67 million vehicles due to defective Takata airbags that can explode, sending shrapnel throughout the car. The dangerous airbags have been linked to 28 deaths and 400 injuries in the United States.
With the critical warning, mom and daughter scheduled an appointment to have their recalled airbag repaired right away, but the dealership told them the part wouldn’t be available until September.