LEESBURG, Fla. – A Leesburg man said it took weeks for him to get the airbag in his 2008 Honda Civic replaced because the dealership ran out.
Christopher Hicks said Jenkins Honda recommended he not allow passengers to ride in his front seat until the airbag was replaced.
"I'm my dad's caregiver and he's legally blind," Hicks told News 6 Investigator Louis Bolden. "I have to take him to the doctor three times a week, and he already missed three appointments this week," he said.
Hicks' Honda Civic is among the tens of millions of vehicles that have been recalled because the airbags can be deadly.
Hicks made an appointment to have it repaired in July, but one hour before the appointment he was told the appointment needed to be canceled because the dealership had no airbags.
Hicks said he feels nervous driving the vehicle.
"(It's) uncomfortable," he said. "It's like a bomb that can go off anytime."
There have been 10 deaths around the country related to the faulty airbag. The airbags can produce excessive pressure upon impact and the metal casing can rupture and spew shards of metal, according to Honda's website.
Honda alone has recalled 12.2 million airbags, but to date has only replaced 5.6 million -- less than half that need to be replaced, according to its website.
Numerous automakers are part of the recall, but Honda is one of the few offering loaner vehicles or free rentals. A senior vice president of the company announced it online.
"If you need alternate transportation while the vehicle is being repaired, we will provide this to you at no cost as well," Bruce Smith said in a video.
What he didn't say is that's only guaranteed for people in need of the driver's side airbag, a spokesperson for the Leesburg dealership said.
Hicks didn't qualify because his passenger side airbag needed to be replaced.
"It's been frustrating," he said.
Hicks finally had his airbag replaced after after waiting more than two weeks after his initial appointment. He said he wants other people to know it won't necessarily be a quick fix.
The Honda dealership in Leesburg has no airbags at this point, a spokesperson said.
The airbag that Hicks needed is the non-desiccated passenger inflator and is not as readily accessible as other airbags, a spokesperson said.
Most Honda owners don't need the non-desiccated inflator, a Honda Spokesperson said.