🎈 4.7 million Takata airbags still on the road

Good morning, and welcome back. The days are getting shorter, which usually means more headlight and battery complaints coming through the door. Hope the week starts off smooth.

— Alex M, Editor

NHTSA told Repairer Driven News it cannot confirm the status of 9% of the more than 67 million Takata airbags recalled in the U.S. The other 91% have been replaced or otherwise accounted for, including vehicles that were scrapped, stolen, or exported. These inflators can explode and spray metal fragments at the driver and passengers.

The numbers that matter:

Why it matters: These are older cars, and older cars change hands often and end up in independent shops more than dealers. Carfax notes that each new owner makes the vehicle harder for the automaker to track down. Some of these cars even carry “do not drive” orders.

That puts a lot of the last line of defense at your intake counter. A quick VIN check on older Hondas, Toyotas, Fords, and the other 30-plus affected brands can catch an open recall the owner never heard about. The same goes for salvage airbags, since Honda’s yard sweep shows how many of these parts still sit in the supply chain.

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Toyota told investors it plans to turn all 50 of its models into software-defined vehicles by 2030. They will run on Toyota’s own software platform, called Arene, which debuted on the redesigned RAV4. Toyota expects about 10 million new vehicles a year to run on it.

A software-defined vehicle gets new features and fixes through updates, often sold as paid subscriptions. That keeps the car earning money for the automaker long after the sale. Tesla, Mercedes, and BMW already charge for some updates, like faster acceleration or remote parking.

Why it matters: Toyota is one of the most common brands in independent bays, so this shift touches a big slice of your future work. More of what a car does will live in software controlled by the automaker. That likely means more diagnostics, more programming, and more questions about what an independent shop can access.

Nikkei also points out that parts may start to change function through updates. For some shops, that may be a reason to keep a close eye on Toyota’s diagnostic tools and subscriptions over the next few years. It also adds weight to the right-to-repair fight we have been following.

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Hyundai issued a recall and a “park outside” warning for 94,622 cars. The recall covers 2015 and 2016 Hyundai Genesis sedans plus 2017 through 2020 Genesis G80 sedans. Only about 1% are thought to have the problem, but the risk is fire.

The issue sits in the power seat controls on front seats without memory. If the slider or height lever gets knocked hard, it can break and stick in the “on” position. The seat motor then keeps running and can overheat.

Owners may notice one of two warning signs:

Why it matters: These cars are six to eleven years old, which puts plenty of them in independent shops. A customer who comes in with a dead seat switch or a burning smell may not know this recall exists. Checking the VIN before you start on the seat could save a diagnosis and point them to the free dealer fix.

Hyundai does not have a remedy yet. Letters go out December 6, and the company says it will reimburse owners for some out-of-pocket costs tied to the problem.

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🔍 NHTSA opened a review of GM’s grille recall on 2022 to 2024 Sierra 1500 pickups, after 21 owners said the upper grille deflector came off even after the original fix, and the review covers more than 535,000 trucks.

🔩 Ford is recalling 2,276 F-150s from 2025 to 2027 because front seat bolts may not be fully secured, making it the company’s 80th recall this year.

🚨 An Ohio car dealer pleaded guilty to trafficking counterfeit Honda airbags shipped from China in boxes labeled “desktop night lights,” admitting to at least 44 fake airbags.

📜 Michigan’s new dealer data law limits who can access data in dealership systems, but it does not cover data from the vehicle itself and does not name repair shops.

🛠️ The SEMA Show will run an expanded ADAS Showcase November 3 to 6 with engineers from Ford, GM, and Rivian and two live calibration bays.

One question for you: What do you think about automakers selling features through paid software updates? Good for drivers, or one more way work moves away from independent shops? Hit reply and tell us where you land.

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