ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — It has been 10 years since a massive nationwide recall for defective Takata airbags. However, 10 Investigates has learned roughly 305,000 of those potentially deadly airbags are still on Florida's roads.
The inflator module of Takata airbags can explode with too much force, causing shrapnel to fly through the air, killing or injuring the motorist they're supposed to protect.
The defective inflators have been linked to at least 27 deaths and hundreds of injuries.
Auto manufacturer Stellantis, the owner of Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and Ram, is taking steps to track down those drivers and make those repairs before it's too late.
Representatives are knocking on the doors of drivers whose cars still have the recalled airbag inflator.
"We're extremely passionate about keeping our customers safe and that's why they have us showing up at their door, trying to facilitate that repair appointment," said Matt Witherspoon, Regional Manager of Stellantis Takata Recall MarketSource.
According to data from CARFAX, 6.4 million vehicles in the U.S. still have dangerous airbags. The group ranks Florida in the top three states with the highest number of these recalled airbags still on the road at 305,000.
CARFAX tells us there are 67,000 vehicles with recalled Takata airbags right here in the Tampa Bay area.
"We'd hate to see any more serious injuries. And there's been even worse, there have been some fatalities. So we're doing everything we possibly can to keep our customers safe," Witherspoon said.
Dealerships are legally required to fix any vehicle with an open safety recall – at no charge to the owner.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has a website that allows you to see whether your car is part of this or any other recall. To check, click here.