AG Walker Announces Toyota Repair-A-Thons

ST. THOMAS — Attorney General Claude Earl Walker has said that consumers stand to benefit from Toyota’s efforts to repair and replace faulty airbags from vehicles in the Virgin Islands.

This action by Toyota follows on the heels of similar action taken by another automaker, Honda, last September after the AG’s Office filed a lawsuit against Takata and Honda in May 2016. The lawsuit claimed that Takata and Honda knowingly and recklessly made, sold, and marketed airbags and cars that they knew were dangerous, but failed to disclose this information to consumers.

At a joint press conference Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Delvin Carrington and Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs Commissioner Lawrence Olive held Monday morning at the Department of Justice conference room, AG Walker announced that Toyota will be conducting repair-a-thons to replace Takata airbags.

“…We are pressing automakers to ensure that Virgin Islands consumers are aware of efforts to, and are able to, replace their Takata airbags,” he said in his prepared remarks. “Last September, we worked with Honda, which brought in technicians and parts and promoted the recall to Virgin Islands consumers, hundreds of whom were able to get their defective airbags replaced. Now, Toyota has stepped up as well.”

Currently, there are approximately 1,195 Toyotas with Takata airbags in the Virgin Islands, Commissioner Olive said, as he informed Toyota owners of the scheduled dates for the repair-a-thons.

“Toyota will conduct a repair-a-thon in the Virgin Islands to remove faulty Takata airbags at its dealership on St. Croix on Feb. 3 and 4 and at its dealership on St. Thomas on Feb. 11 and 12. Technicians will be available to replace the Takata airbags,” Commissioner Olive said in his prepared statement.

Owners can also have their Takata airbags replaced free of charge by scheduling an appointment, according to Commissioner Olive.

A list compiled by the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) specifies the affected Toyota vehicles that are subject to the Takata recall, which include 2010-2016 Toyota 4Runner, 2009- 2013 Toyota Matrix, 2011-2014 Toyota Sienna and the 2007-2012 Toyota Yaris (sedan). Members of the public can find the complete list here, or on the Department of Licensing and Consumer Affairs’ website, Commissioner Carrington directed.