September 25
ODO 179421
When buying a used vehicle, there’s always a little anxiety about its past history. Recalls are a way of finding out what may have gone wrong from the get-go with the good news that a fix is available at no cost to the new owner, well, except for sacrificing a little time.
The Takata airbag recall has been felt industry wide, affecting 19 manufacturers and an estimated 34 million vehicles in the United States alone. Kudos to Toyota for its persistent search for me and my 2007 Yaris, a.k.a. the Bunny. I was sent several letters and notices and received multiple phone calls and when Toyota did connect with me, they made it easy as pie, contacting a local dealership and setting up the appointment. I’m lucky to have a dealership like Charles Maund Toyota that offered a free shuttle service to take me to and from work and a waiting room in the service center with free WiFi, coffee, and donuts (while they lasted) that allowed me to stay onsite while I waited for an assessment from service advisor Walter Ortiz.
I was there for an airbag recall, but Ortiz did his due diligence and found three other recalls—there was a fourth on the power window switch but the Bunny has manual crank handles so it didn’t apply. The total process took one day—I opted to take a shuttle back to the office so no loss of work time—and at the end left me with a safer vehicle than when I bought it.
Recalls are essential, common, and free so there’s no excuse for avoiding them. When a manufacturer does its due diligence to make things right, it’s a gift and we should all respond in kind. Putting a safer vehicle on the road is best for you and other drivers who could be effected by a faulty part on your vehicle. Thanks to Toyota and Charles Maund for making my Bunny a safer vehicle, eleven years after rolling off the assembly line.
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to 
Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the lock nut and, if it is found loose, replace the lock nut, steering gear assembly, and tie rod assembly, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on July 17, 2017. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota’s number for this recall is HLC. For the most up-to-date Safety Recall information on Lexus, Toyota, and Scion customers should check their vehicle’s status by visiting 
d, Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace tire placard label, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin July 28, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler’s number for this recall is T37.
Audi will notify owners, and dealers will replace the gearbox in the affected vehicles, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in May 2017. Owners may contact Audi customer service at 1-800-253-2834. Volkswagen’s number for this recall is 37K6.
