My Honda Ridgeline was recalled for airbag…as many other vehicles have been. The dealer asked for and got my truck ASAP. That has now been a month ago. It could be till August until I get my truck back. My concern: what will happen, if anything, to my truck sitting in a parking lot for now a month upto 4-months in the hot South Carolina sun? We have already had several days over 90. I’m thinking it will do something because just letting my truck sit outside in the summer with no rain for a month or so ruins the wipers! Comments please as I would like to go back to the dealer and summit my concerns.
Just to comment on the battery: Unless they have a trickle charger on it, the battery will be discharged or close to it. And every time you completely discharge a car battery, you do some damage. Do this a few times and the battery is dead.
When they finally are done, ask to have the battery checked. If it’s not 100%, ask for a replacement. On second thought, have it checked somewhere else.
I wouldn’t like it either. Paint, interior, tires. I wouldn’t have let them take and instead would have stayed in my garage while using their loaner. I’d talk to them and try to get it back. Our Acura dealer sure didn’t want any more cars clogging their lot waiting for parts and can’t see why they wouldn’t like to open up a slot or two as long as you stay on the same place on the list.
A co-worker got the same airbag recall. But, they didn’t call to get the truck until the parts finally came in. Then, it was a simple swap out, and he got some other maintenance done in the same trip. In and out same day.
I believe its at your option if you want a rental or not. At least that was the way it was with Acura. They’d rent the car through Enterprise or someone but didn’t say anything about storing your car on their lot. Maybe that would have been part of the deal so that you couldn’t use it, but I wouldn’t want one sitting outside that long. Maybe put a car cover on it if they won’t give it back.
I wouldn’t allow them to do that even w/my 20+ year old Corolla. No parking outside all day in a hot parking lot for what should be a garaged car. If they aren’t supplying you a loaner, it’s a no brainer, just ask for it back and you take care of it yourself until the parts come in. I’m not sure if they’d be willing to disable the airbags, but if they would, that might be a compromise you could live with. If not, that’s also your choice not to drive it.
If the gave you a loaner, and they are keeping your car on their lot in part as security for the loaner, one idea, tell them you’ll post a bond, put money in an escrow account, or whatever they need as security for the loaner. Then you could take your own car home until the part comes in. Airbags, first two are perfect, then the safety experts say you need 4, then you need 8, then 10, however many you have, there’s always a supposedly indisputable reason you need more, what a mess we “never willing take even a hint of a chance” Americans get ourselves into.
“Could be…” til August would not sit well with me. What if August rolls around and the car is still in limbo land?
Plus, the longer it sits the more the battery sulfates and you may then end up having to buy a new battery.
If they haven’t ponied up a loaner car I’d be down there and get it tomorrow if it were mine. I’d then contact another dealer about having that Recall done when the parts are available.
One of my sons had a Pontiac G6 that was under a Recall for the electric steering. Several years later he was still waiting and decided to trade the car off not long ago due to random loss of steering.
No one is required to surrender their vehicle for this recall, if you want to keep your vehicle in a controlled environment keep your vehicle at your house. Most of the dealers inventory is stored outdoors so this is viewed as normal for vehicles.
There are more than 63 million vehicles involved now, manufacturing replacement airbag inflators will take some time, vehicles out-of-service will be repaired first.
I went through this scenario with my Chevy HHR. I kept the little car until they received the parts some 4 months later. Leaving my vehicle with them was not an option that I considered even though they offered a loaner car.
My Toyota is on the recall list for an airbag. The dealer told me I was on his list and as soon as they get the parts they’ll call me for an appointment. It’s stupid to have you vehicle stored at the dealer’s. There is no legal or any other requirement.
All my customers are driving their vehicles while awaiting airbag parts.
You should have that option as well, with two choices ;
drive it as is ( knowing that extreme rarity of an exploding airbag could throw shrapnel ) ,
or have them pull the fuse and drive it like the old days with no airbag.
Several months ago I got a letter saying my Toyota is on the airbag recall list, but no parts are currently available.
A couple weeks ago I got a letter saying parts are available and I should set up an appointment.
Last week I made an appointment and two days ago I went to the dealer.
They took two hours to pull the passenger airbag assy apart (so they claim) and say they have to order the parts!
So now I have to go in again when they call saying they have the parts.
Of course they went over the car with a fine tooth comb looking for other work to sell.