HOUSTON – According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, there are about 17 million cars on the road included in the Takata airbag recall that still need repairs.
NHTSA has a website where you can just type in your car's vehicle identification number to find out if it is included in this recall.
The problem for many people is that dealerships don't have the replacement parts needed to make the fix. Takata and other suppliers just can't work fast enough to crank out all of the new airbags.
Federal regulators say the new parts should go first to high-humidity areas such as Texas and Florida because investigators found heat and moist conditions in southern climes can cause the airbags to malfunction and rupture at greater rates than in moderate or cold climates. Still, there are some delays here.
You should call your dealership to find out if they have the parts and make an appointment if they do.
Now, what if they don't have the parts?
Toyota recommends shutting off your airbags until replacement parts arrive. It is the only manufacturer making this recommendation. Federal regulators are not recommending that you do that because they say airbags have still saved far more lives than have killed or hurt people.
However, if the recall shows your passenger-side airbag is affected, consumer reports says you shouldn't let anyone sit in that seat. If it is your driver-side airbag, they say you should try to get a loaner car from your dealership and try to minimize how much you drive the vehicle until the airbag is replaced.