Air Bag Inflator Recall

    Oxendale Chrysler Dodge Jeep

      PO Box 1545

      Cottonwood, AZ  86326        

      May 20, 2015

Dear Valued Client:

We have been advised that Air Bag Inflators are due to be available for the Air Bag Inflator Recall during the month of June. We do anticipate a great deal of questions resulting from Press Reporting. We have attached reference sheet of all vehicles involved as well as the NHTSA website for further research.

We recognize that any recall is important to our customers and their vehicle ownership. Because Recalls are VIN specific, we can verify if your vehicle is affected prior to receiving notice in the mail. You can update your mailing address at Chrysler.com or calling 800 853 1403.

We have been advised these parts will be distributed under a controlled allocation system. As a dealer, we do not have control over the allocation process. Oxendale Chrysler is prepared to do the following:

1)      We will Special Order the Parts for your vehicle if they are not available at the time of your request for the recall to be performed and schedule repairs when parts are received..

2)      The actual repair time varies depending on the vehicle. We will be assigning Journeyman Technicians with the proper skills to perform this recall. We will ask for your vehicle to remain with us for no more than one day during the repair scheduled by our Service Department.

3)      Currently, there are no provisions from Chrysler for alternative transportation. We do offer a shuttle service (to and from home) to our customers during maintenance and repairs.

4)      It is important to be aware that Oxendale Chrysler has completed recalls well above the National Average in all cases where Parts have been made available. (Stats available in Service )

5)      We will be scheduling additional Service hours to complete Recall repairs as parts become more readily available to meet expectations.

6)      Federal Law prohibits disconnecting the Air Bag or modifying the system in any way.

All of us at Oxendale Chrysler share your concern over the safety issues surrounding this or any recall that is issued affecting your vehicle ownership. If for any reason, we have not answered your questions or addressed your concerns adequately, please feel free to contact the resources below.

Sincerely,       

     Oxendale Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram

 IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL P81 / NHTSA 14V-817

This notice applies to your vehicle (VIN: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx).

This interim notification letter is sent to you in accordance with the requirements of the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act.

Dear: (Name)

UPDATE 4/21/2015, 10:15 a.m.: Nissan has added another 45,000 Sentras from the 2006 model year to its large-scale recall for defective Takata airbags. Owners will be notified via FedEx. Affected cars, according to Nissan, are those "that currently are or previously were registered in Florida and adjacent counties in southern Georgia; Hawaii; Guam; Puerto Rico; Saipan; American Samoa; U.S. Virgin Islands; and coastal areas of Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas." This action was partially prompted by the investigation of a March crash in Louisiana in which a woman was injured by airbag shrapnel from her 2006 Sentra.

UPDATE 5/13/2015, 3:15 p.m.: Toyota and Nissan announced new and expanded recall activity to replace potentially deadly Takata airbags in nearly 6.5 million vehicles worldwide. The recall affects nearly 1 million vehicles in North America. The Toyota RAV4 (model years 2004 and 2005), previously unaffected by these recalls, is now on the list; Toyota is recalling some 160,000 of the models to replace their driver's-side airbags. The RAV4 has been added to our comprehensive list below.

UPDATE 5/19/2015, 6:15 p.m.: Takata has declared as defective nearly 34 million vehicles, which will lead to even more extensive recalls of vehicles with the company's airbags (individual automakers will elaborate on the specific cars added to the recalls in the very near future). In its testing of the suspect parts, Takata also found that driver's-side airbags in 2003-2007 Toyota Corolla and Matrix models (plus the Pontiac Vibe, a twin to the Matrix), as well as 2004-2007 Honda Accord models, are at the highest risk.

In a news conference today, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx called the expanded recall "the most complex consumer-safety recall in U.S. history." He added: "Up until now Takata has refused to acknowledge that their airbags are defective. That changes today." Also, the company has agreed to pay the U.S. government significant fines for not cooperating in the investigations of numerous injuries and deaths; the exact amount will be announced at a later date.

UPDATE 5/20/2015, 1:00 p.m.: Unnamed sources have told Bloomberg that Takata changed its airbag propellant in 2008 to reduce the risk of overly forceful deployment and to address the moisture-related degradation of the propellant. 

AFFECTED VEHICLES (total number if known in parentheses):

Acura: 2002-2003 TL; 2002 CL; 2003-2006 MDX; 2005 Acura RL

BMW (approximately 765,000): 2000-2005 3-series sedan and wagon; 2000-2006 3-series coupe and convertible; 2001-2006 M3 coupe and convertible

Chrysler (approximately 2.88 million, including Dodge): 2004-2008 Chrysler 300; 2007-2008 Aspen

Dodge/Ram (approximately 2.88 million, including Chrysler): 2003-2008 Dodge Ram 1500; 2004-2008 Ram 2500, Dakota, and Durango; 2004-2007 Charger; 2004-2008 Ram 3500 and 4500; 2008 Ram 5500

Ford (538,977): 2004-2005 Ranger; 2005-2006 GT; 2005-2008 Mustang

Honda (approximately 5.5 million, including Acura): 2001-2007 Accord (four-cylinder); 2001-2002 Accord (V-6); 2001-2005 Civic; 2002-2006 CR-V; 2002-2004 Odyssey; 2003-2011 Element; 2003-2008 Pilot; 2006 Ridgeline

Infiniti: 2001-2004 Infiniti I30/I35; 2002-2003 Infiniti QX4; 2003-2005 Infiniti FX35/FX45; 2006 Infiniti M35/M45

Lexus: 2002-2007 SC430

Mazda (330,000, est): 2004-2008 Mazda 6; 2006-2007 Mazdaspeed 6; 2004-2008 Mazda RX-8; 2004-2005 MPV; 2004 B-series

Mitsubishi (11,985): 2004-2005 Lancer; 2006-2007 Raider

Nissan (approximately 1,091,000, including Infiniti): 2001-2003 Maxima; 2001-2004 Pathfinder; 2002-2006 Nissan Sentra

Pontiac: 2003-2005 Vibe

Saab: 2005 9-2X

Subaru (17,516): 2003-2005 Baja, Legacy, Outback; 2004-2005 Impreza, Impreza WRX, Impreza WRX STI

Toyota (approximately 1,514,000, including Lexus and Pontiac Vibe): 2002-2007 Toyota Corolla and Sequoia; 2003-2007 Matrix; 2003-2006 Tundra; 2004-2005 RAV4