Takata Air Bag Repairs too Slow, Some Senators Say

Members of a Senate committee voiced frustration Tuesday with the pace of repairs for vehicles with defective Takata air bag inflators, reported AP News.

March 21, 2018

March 21, 2018—Members of a Senate committee voiced frustration Tuesday with the pace of repairs for vehicles with defective Takata air bag inflators and urged regulators to complete work on a federal rule -requiring automakers to inform on recalls using electronic communication, reported AP News and Press Herald.

The years-long recall involves about 50 million Takata air bag inflators in the United States. To date, about 21 million defective air bags have been repaired, reported the Press Herald.

Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., said the Senate Commerce on Science and Transportation committee recently asked the 19 automakers involved in the Takata recall to provide vehicle repair rates.

Heidi King of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration acknowledged that repair rates are “not where we want them to be.” She said the agency is exploring new ways to reach consumers and improve response rates to recall notifications, according to Press Herald.