After Long Wait, Woman Gets Airbag Replacement For Car

Lillian Yerukhimovich waited years for a new airbag.

In 2016, she received a notice that her 2012 Audi was part of the massive Takata airbag recall, but replacement parts were not yet available.

A year later, the Manchester woman received another notice from Audi. This one, instructing her to bring her car to her local dealership as soon as possible.

Yerukhimovich said she called periodically for updates, but the dealership didn’t have any new information.

In early 2018, another letter arrived, urging Yerukhimovich to contact her dealer without delay.

In an email to NBC Connecticut Responds, she wrote, “Many months later we still have nothing but alarming notices from Takata and Audi to get it changed immediately.”

The day after Responds reached out to Audi USA, Yerukhimovich got a call from her dealership informing her the replacement parts for her car were in.

Audi’s website provides further information on the Takata airbag recall:

“Due to the unprecedented volume of the industry-wide Takata airbag inflator recalls, this has created challenges to acquire replacement parts for all vehicle manufacturers. Parts are being allocated to dealers based on NHTSA’s targeted prioritization for highest risk vehicles being serviced first. The NHTSA has defined a schedule to address the most at risk vehicles first. This schedule is based on the Coordinated Remedy Program Priority Groups documented on the NHTSA website: http://www.safercar.gov.

Because parts are being allocated to dealers based on NHTSA’s recommendations, dealers are scheduling appointments for the initial repair based on when the parts become available to them. Dealers will work to the best of their ability with customers to repair vehicles based on available parts.”

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