SCRS Investigates Airbag Recalls Relative to Replacement Parts

The increased focus on this issue in the media has led to many collision repair professionals facing a question about whether replacement airbags are handled differently in a recall than the original parts that came in the vehicle. In an effort to provide information and resources for collision repairers to be able to adequately address these questions, the Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS) worked with our colleagues at some of the affected automakers to ensure that no added precautions were necessary relative to new OEM replacement parts.

 

SCRS posed the following questions:

1. Are any of the replacement airbags that were sold to collision repair facilities affected by the issues or the recall?
2. Would it be possible that a vehicle whose original airbag may not be on the recall list, but was involved in a loss that required airbag replacement, could have a replacement airbag installed that would be in need of a recall? If so, how would those be tracked?

The following includes the responses received by automakers thus far:

 

     Honda North America, Inc.

 

We have conducted several airbag inflator recalls starting in 2008, and among those were expansions to account for replacement airbags that we were unable to match to a particular VIN.  Essentially, we called back larger populations of potentially affected models to inspect the inflators and verify if they were within the affected range of parts.  A press release about that effort in May 2011 can be found here:

 

http://www.hondanews.com/honda-corporate/channels/corporate-recalls/releases/statement-by-american-honda-motor-co-inc-regarding-inspection-of-driver-s-airbag-inflators-as-part-of-recall-expansion?page=6

 

Beyond those inspections, we also improved our tracking of replacement airbag inflators through our dealer network to ensure that we can better track each one to a particular repaired vehicle.  Current replacement parts are of updated designs, which are not affected by any of the recent airbag inflator actions.

 

     Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc

 

Q: Are any of the replacement airbags that were sold to collision repair facilities affected by the issues or the recall?  

A: At the launch of the original D0F campaign in 2013, all OE replacement airbag assemblies in our parts stock were confirmed to be known good airbags.  There could be some OE replacement airbag assemblies that were sold many years ago that possibly could be affected.  However, because the suspect OE replacement airbags would have been produced almost 10 years ago, it is very unlikely a collision repair facility would have one of those OE airbag assemblies in stock.  Regardless, any vehicle involved in the campaign, even if they had an OE replacement airbag assembly replaced previously by a collision repair facility, the owners would still receive a letter asking them to bring their vehicle in to have the inflator replaced. 

 

Q: Would it be possible that a vehicle whose original airbag may not be on the recall list, but was involved in a loss that required airbag replacement, could have a replacement airbag installed that would be in need of a recall?

A: No, each OE part number that is impacted by this recall, is tied directly to a specific MY vehicle.  Therefore, any vehicle "outside" those MY's, the OE replacement airbag assemblies for those vehicles would have a different part number and would not be involved in the campaign.  

 

Q: How would those be tracked?

A: Because those OE parts are for vehicles outside the range and not involved in the campaign, we do not need to track them.   

 

     Mazda Motor of America, Inc.

 

According to the technical service division, the answer is no. All the vehicles affected would have had the same part put in if they had an accident. If a vehicle had an inflator not in the recall installed at the factory then the replacement part would not be involved either. It is their understanding the parts are not interchangeable between models.

 

Chrysler Group LLC

 

     Q: Are any of the replacement airbags that were sold to collision repair

     facilities affected by the issues or the recall?

A: While the root cause of the issue is still undetermined, the leading suspect is persistent exposure to high absolute humidity, not a specific manufacturing defect.

    

Q: Would it be possible that a vehicle whose original airbag may not be on the recall list, but was involved in a loss that required airbag replacement, could have a replacement airbag installed that would be in need of a recall?  

      A: No.

 

     Ford Motor Company

 

Customers can go to www.ford.com and click on 'safety recalls' at the bottom of the page. They can then enter their VIN number to see any open safety, compliance or emissions recalls as well as customer satisfaction programs.

 

For more detailed inquiries, SCRS encourages repair facilities to consult with local dealers or the NHTSA regarding ongoing or future recalls.

 

For more information about SCRS, or to join as a member, please visit www.scrs.com, call toll free 1-877-841-0660 or email us at info@scrs.com.