Presidential Election, Hillary Clinton's Email Issue, Zika Virus Outrank Concerns About Deadly Takata Airbag Recall, According To Kelley Blue Book Study

IRVINE, Calif., July 13, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- With more than 32 million vehicles recalled¹ among 33 different automotive brands, the widespread Takata airbag issue includes more impacted vehicles than the next five largest recalls from the past 20 years combined, according to the experts from Kelley Blue Book www.kbb.com, the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry.  Even though the Takata airbag recall numbers continue to climb along with the severity of this potentially deadly issue, consumer awareness and concern about the Takata recall is low compared to other national and global issues.

According to an all-new study ², the Takata airbag recall has the lowest general awareness of current events and issues among all respondents, at just 52 percent, compared to Zika virus (84 percent), Hillary Clinton's email issue (87 percent) and the presidential election (95 percent), among others.  Furthermore, only a quarter of respondents believe the Takata airbag recall is very or extremely important, which also ranked lowest among these other national and international issues.  Of those familiar with the Takata recall, only 31 percent describe themselves as very or extremely concerned about the Takata recall, falling behind the Zika virus (49 percent), the presidential election (78 percent) and terrorism (79 percent). 

"Consumer opinions on the Takata airbag recall seem to be another unfortunate case of people thinking 'it won't happen to me,' but this is easily the largest, most expensive automotive safety issue in U.S. history.  In fact, 1-in-8 vehicles on the road are affected by this massive recall³, yet 33 percent of those surveyed don't know if they are impacted," said Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book.  "It is vital that all households look up their vehicle's status on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website safercar.gov and check with their manufacturer.  In vehicles impacted by the Takata recall, the front airbags of the vehicle that are intended to protect riders in the event of a collision, may actually wind up causing injury and/or death by deploying incorrectly."

According to the study², the major Japanese automakers, Toyota Motor Corporation (58 percent), Honda Motor Company (46 percent) and Nissan Motors (35 percent), were most commonly believed to be affected by the recall, followed by General Motors (34 percent), Mitsubishi Motors (29 percent) and Ford Motor Company (28 percent).  In addition, three out of four respondents said they would not be likely to purchase a new vehicle from a manufacturer that may still be using Takata airbags.   

NHTSA recommends that all car owners check the safercar.gov website for recall information at least twice a year to ensure the safety of their car.  If a vehicle is part of the Takata airbag recall, contact a local dealer for a free repair.  Note that repairs are prioritized based on vehicle age, geography and exposure to hot, humid climates.  If the driver is not the original owner, he or she should investigate the vehicle's history for proper prioritization (e.g.: if vehicle was used in hot/humid climate).  Until your airbag is fixed, stay up-to-date on the status of the recall, be equipped with the vehicle's history report and discuss any options with a dealer, like a possible interim repair or access to a rental vehicle.  NHTSA does not recommend disabling your airbags, as they are meant to save lives and reduce injuries. 

The 2016 Takata Airbag Recall Study was conducted among 1,000 respondents reflective of the United States Census general population (race, age, gender, income and education) between June 3-6, 2016.

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¹ Total vehicles recalled as of June 2, 2016.
² 2016 Takata Airbag Recall Study commissioned by Cox Automotive, Inc.
³ Calculation based on Experian's vehicles in operation.

About Kelley Blue Book (www.kbb.com)
Founded in 1926, Kelley Blue Book, The Trusted Resource®, is the vehicle valuation and information source trusted and relied upon by both consumers and the automotive industry.  Each week the company provides the most market-reflective values in the industry on its top-rated website KBB.com, including its famous Blue Book® Trade-In Values and Fair Purchase Price, which reports what others are paying for new and used cars this week.  The company also provides vehicle pricing and values through various products and services available to car dealers, auto manufacturers, finance and insurance companies, and governmental agencies.  Kelley Blue Book's KBB.com ranked highest in its category for brand equity by the 2015 Harris Poll EquiTrend^® study and has been named Online Auto Shopping Brand of the Year for four consecutive years.  Kelley Blue Book Co., Inc. is a Cox Automotive™ brand.

About Cox Automotive
Cox Automotive Inc. is transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns cars with industry-leading digital marketing, software, financial, wholesale and e-commerce solutions for consumers, dealers, manufacturers and the overall automotive ecosystem worldwide. Committed to open choice and dedicated to strong partnerships, the Cox Automotive family includes Autotrader®, Dealer.com®, Dealertrack®, Kelley Blue Book®, Manheim®, NextGear Capital®, vAuto®, Xtime® and a host of other brands. The global company has nearly 30,000 team members in more than 200 locations and is partner to more than 40,000 auto dealers, as well as most major automobile manufacturers, while engaging U.S. consumer car buyers with the most recognized media brands in the industry. Cox Automotive is a subsidiary of Cox Enterprises Inc., an Atlanta-based company with revenues of $18 billion and approximately 55,000 employees. Cox Enterprises' other major operating subsidiaries include Cox Communications and Cox Media Group. For more information about Cox Automotive, visit www.coxautoinc.com.

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