Consumers in the market for a new vehicle, take notice. Some automakers are still using airbags that have injured several people over the years.
Erie County Clerk Christopher Jacobs is advising new car buyers to do their homework before signing on the dotted line. Jacobs says Toyota, Volkswagen, Mitsubishi and Fiat Chrysler recently confirmed that they are still installing Takata airbags in some models.
"I have never heard a case where somebody is selling a car, a new car, and knowing that there is a component within that car that's going to need to be recalled and replaced," Jacobs said.
Despite being in the midst of the largest-ever auto safety recall, Jacobs says federal regulators consider the vehicles legal for sale as long as the airbags get replaced by 2018.
"As we know, this Takata recall has expanded over and over again because their previous assumption, 'that it's only in certain geographic areas or under certain conditions', was incorrect. And then they expanded the recall because it actually happened in other instances. And I just think it's faulty," Jacobs said.
By raising awareness, Jacobs is hoping auto makers will reconsider the practice.