State and federal agencies have joined forces to educate California residents on free tools that can be used to check the recall status of their vehicles, including vehicles that may be equipped with Takata air bags.

Takata, a now-bankrupt parts supplier, was responsible for manufacturing air bag canisters in defective air bag inflators that can explode and spray sharp metal fragments toward the driver and passengers, comparable to shrapnel from an exploding grenade. The defective air bags have killed 27 people in the U.S., including four California residents, and caused more than 400 injuries nationwide, according to the release.

The Takata air bag inflator recall is the largest safety recall in automotive history covering more than 67 million affected vehicles worldwide. Issues with the air bags first came to light in 2008.

According to the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), roughly 700,000 vehicles in the state still have Takata air bags — more than any other state, according to the National Safety Council (NSC).

The OTS, New Motor Vehicle Board (NMVB), California New Car Dealers Association, NSC, and Automobile Club of Southern California (AAA) joined together during a news conference Tuesday at the Cerritos Auto Square. They did so in hopes of spreading the word to vehicle owners of the urgent safety risks unchecked recalls pose and that they are free to repair.

“The Takata air bag recall has helped make lifesaving repairs on millions of vehicles, but after nearly 10 years there are still more than a half a million vehicle owners in California who might not be aware they are driving an unsafe vehicle,” said OTS Director Barbara Rooney, in a news release. “We are joining forces to intensify our efforts so every Californian knows there is an easy way to check if their vehicle has an open safety recall — CheckToProtect.org — and that, if it does, it is free and easy to get it fixed.”

While the focus of this particular campaign is on California, the site is useful for motorists in other states as well.

Certain vehicles from seven OEMs made between 2000-2010 are considered at especially high risk of having defective Takata inflators and are under a “do not drive” warning.

“If your vehicle has an open safety recall, don’t wait — schedule to get it fixed for free at a local dealership right away,” said NMVB Executive Director Tim Corcoran, in the release. “Car dealerships are obligated to repair any recall free of charge, whether you purchased your vehicle there or not. We want California drivers to understand the urgency to get your recall fixed as soon as possible and that the service is free.”

Collision repair shops can help, too. When repairing vehicles after a collision, repairers can keep an eye out for repairs or replacements needed under recalls unknown to their customers, and share that information with them.

There are more than 50 million vehicles in the U.S. with unresolved safety recalls, according to the NSC. With nearly 28 million drivers and 35.8 million registered vehicles, the most of any state, California has the highest number of unrepaired vehicles.

“The safety of customers and fixing recalls is a top priority,” said CNCDA President Brian Maas, in the release. “All of our dealers want to make sure your car is working efficiently and safely any time you are driving.”

In February, the California Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) started including vehicle safety recall information on vehicle registration renewal notices for vehicles with open recalls.

Later this month, the DMV will begin issuing notices to the last known registered owners of vehicles on file with defective Takata airbags that haven’t been fixed. The notice provides resources for scheduling a free repair and information on how to check for open vehicle recalls.

Due to automakers and the DMV not always having the most recent vehicle owner data on file, it is critical that vehicle owners use the NSC’s free “Check to Protect” program to check the recall status of their vehicle online, the release states.

The program encourages vehicle owners to check for open recalls every three months and to schedule free recall repairs as soon as a fix is available. The website allows users to determine if their vehicles are eligible for a free and potentially lifesaving repair by entering the license plate number or VIN.

“Safety on the roadways must be a top priority for everyone,” said Lonny Haschel, senior manager of the Check to Protect program at the National Safety Council. “With millions of recalled vehicles being used every day, it’s important for drivers to make sure the vehicle they are driving is safe. All roadway users – in California and beyond – are safer when vehicle safety recalls are repaired.”

Businesses and other organizations that operate fleets can also conduct bulk recall checks on the NSC website.

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