Avoid a new drama: that was the objective of the Ministry of Transportation with the decree of July 29 that exerts some pressure on manufacturers concerned with the Takata Airbags scandal. These brands must accelerate the replacement of defective air bags in the workshops and, if the appointment is planned in more than 15 days, provide a replacement mobility solution (loan of a vehicle or financing of an equivalent means of transport).
How many vehicles still in circulation?
But it is difficult to estimate how many vehicles are still worried. At the end of June, the Ministry of Transportation communicated at 2.5 million cars that still had to change their airbag, including 1.7 million in “Stop Drive”, that is to say with the prohibition of driving. Specifically, this refers to 30 brands, with a “Stop Drive” that applies to all models in the DROM (departments and regions abroad) and in Corsica, and those that are put into circulation until December 31, 2011 in the Metropolitan Area (excluding Corrica).
Only one exception: Citroën C3 and DS3. In fact, it was aboard a Citroën C3 of 2014 that a driver lost his life after the explosion of his airbag on June 11 in Reims, the last fatal accident linked to these takata air bags identified in France. Therefore, these two models are subject to a specific “Stop Drive” reminder of the entire period in question (first record between September 24, 2008 and February 21, 2017), as well as DS3 (first record between December 5, 2008 and May 30, 2019.
“In France, we change the air bags of more than 570,000 C3 and DS3, which corresponds to 80% of the vehicles in question,” Stellantis spokesman assured at the end of July.
Caution in car centers
In this context, a large number of vehicles are still in circulation with dangerous airbags. A complex situation for the people involved, who cannot easily dispense without a car, but that are still exposed to a significant risk: that, of course, linked to the airbag, but also to the fact that insurance can reject the care of any damage, taking into account this reminder “stop impulse” that the theory prohibits in the movement.
A danger to the driver, his passengers, as well as for other road users and those who could intervene in the vehicle. This is what Speedy has just taken into account, the famous automotive repair and maintenance brand. On its website, the company published last week a “message of information and prevention” in Takata Airbags.
“It is up to you to verify if your vehicle is the object of the removal of a manufacturer before any intervention in our centers. This control is strictly personal and the rapid equipment cannot carry out in particular.
A list of brands interested in the website of the Ministry of Transportation (here) makes it easy to find if your vehicle is concerned about this removal of the vehicle’s wine. A number that is on the gray card and that cable centers can also verify in case of doubt. In fact, we can read a little more about Speedy’s communication: “In the case of a proven builder retreat from your vehicle, our centers will not be able to maintain or repair their vehicle as long as the air bags in question have not been replaced. This measure aims to preserve the safety of our employees and other users.”
A requested test and exceptions
However, the brand is not completely close to the interventions in suspicious vehicles: “For vehicles concerned with a reminder, we can continue to intervene, only for urgent intervention situations that do not require the rapid technician to move the customer vehicle (ex: ADBLUE, change of bulbs, visual controls, pneumatics surpassed by the wheel.
Therefore, it will be necessary to present a test of the replacement of the air bags in the models in question, the text concludes, specifying that “Speedy is not authorized to carry out the replacement or repair of the air bags.” In fact, it is the garages of the brands that can carry out this operation, at the expense of the manufacturer.
For the same reasons, but without communicating as clearly as the other important brand maintenance brands such as Speedy, Point S and Norauto or even the green light have indicated West France that rejected cars worried about the retirement “Stop Drive”.
Source: BFM TV
