Some university-owned vehicles, including models operated by departments, are beginning to receive recall notices for driver/passenger-side air bags. The university requests that you address the recalls as soon as remedies become available.
Facilities & Services staff is monitoring the situation and will continue to contact departments as notices are received, but each department should be proactive in checking on their vehicles.
If you believe a vehicle may be covered by one of the recalls, look up the vehicle identification number (VIN) using the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) VIN Search Tool. The 17-digit VIN can be found on the lower left corner of your vehicle’s windshield or registration/insurance card. Please note that additional vehicles affected by the recalls are being announced and identified on an ongoing basis.
The recalls affect a large number of vehicles from different manufacturers. The estimated impact is more than 34 million vehicles nationwide or one in seven cars on U.S roads. The extent of the recalls has resulted in the potential for significant delays in replacement of the affected components.
More information about the recalls is available from SaferCar.gov and at: http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/DOT-action-on-takata-air-bag-defects.
Takata Air Bag Recalls FAQs PDF
The university suggests that you understand the potential impact the recalls could have on the safety of students, faculty, and staff:
- Departments/units must make the determination on continued use of a vehicle during the recall process.
- Should you decide to park the vehicle until the recall work is performed, replacement vehicles will not be available from the university and may not be available from the manufacturer given the extent of the recall and number of affected vehicles. The cost of rental vehicles, either university or commercial, would be the responsibility of the department/unit.
- The NHTSA does not recommend disabling air bags. The potential for injury related to the recall is drastically less than the risk of injury in a vehicle with inoperative air bags.
- Automakers are required to send out recall notices to the owners of vehicles affected by the recalls.
For questions, please contact director of Transportation & Automotive Services Pete Varney pvarney@illinois.edu,217-333-7583.