Toyota isn't happy with how few people are responding to their airbag recall notices. So the company is planning to get more aggressive to grab owner attention.
Millions of vehicles from automakers around the world have been affected by the massive Takata airbag recall. Vehicles as old as model year 2001 are on the list. Toyota says that even though they started reaching out to owners as far back as 2013, more than half of vehicle owners haven't replied.
The problem with the affected airbags is that fluctuating temperatures and high moisture increase the risk of rupture. Toyota says the risk increases with time. Since some of the vehicles Toyota has recalled are 10–15 years old, they would really like to get them fixed.
So the new campaign will start with phone calls. There will also be e-mails sent. And if that doesn't work, Toyota will start mailing out postcards. A series of three with bright colours, blunt language, and images that are designed to convince you to bring your affected vehicle in for the free repair.
"Canadians have not responded as quickly as we had hoped, so we’re looking to grab their attention," says Toyota Canada VP Stephen Beatty. "The greater the effectiveness of our campaign, the lower the risk of injury, so we’re working hard to have an impact."
The other issue for Toyota is that after 10 to 15 years, many of the vehicles are not with their original owners. That means that Toyota might not have contact information for the new owners.
So if you have a Takata impacted Toyota, or any other vehicle, and you haven't gotten the recalled airbag replaced, what are you waiting for? If you're not sure if your vehicle has been recalled, and the list is long, then check the website of your vehicle manufacturer. Or Transport Canada, which has a list of all vehicle recalls that you can search by model and year. If yours shows up on the list, reach out to a dealership
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