Takata and NHTSA: Dumb and Dumber

Takata air bag modules on Honda vehicles have killed at least five people. If NHTSA has its way – demanding a nationwide recall of Takata’s faulty air bag systems – the number of dead people will most likely increase. WTF? Stay with me.

What we have here is a major automotive supplier with its head in the sand, hoping its crisis will go away, and perhaps the most-cover-your-ass U.S. government agency not only thinking stupidly, but perhaps, deadly.

NHTSA is going to court to force the Japanese seat belt and air bag system company to make their recall a nationwide affair. Takata, rightfully, has refused to do so; instead focusing on those customers in harm’s way in southern hot and humid states where the defective air bags seem more prone to problems.

But Takata has shamefully put its customers in harm’s way. Oh, not the real driving public, but their actual customers, namely Honda and Chrysler, to name two. Honda has announced it will recall its vehicles with the nasty Takata air bag modules NATIONWIDE. Honda is in a tough spot. I understand it, but their action may actually divert Takata replacement parts for Honda vehicles where they are most needed to a Honda consumer in cold, non-humid northern Minnesota. Why?

The other day, Chrysler said it will focus on the hot, humid states in replacing Takata air bag modules in Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler vehicles. Good for my former company. They are actually putting their customers first, but will, no doubt, receive a ration of sh-t from the plaintiff’s bar and the supposed “safety advocates” that want a “nationwide” action only to load their coffers and the courtrooms.

Bottom Line: If NHTSA succeeds in court and makes Takata supply the whole country with better air bag modules before satisfying the true, scientific needs of those in the hot, humid climates, the risk of people needlessly dying will increase as those truly in harm’s way will have to wait.

It is the Ford/Firestone tire crisis, circa 2000-2001, all over again. I know. I lived it.

In NASCAR capital to do interview on local Fox; SEMA 2014 in Vegas next

Drove 4 hours with Betsy to Charlotte for an interview October 28th, 7:30 a.m. on the local FOX station (appreciate their interest). The drive from Wilmington to Charlotte is so easy and then so brutal as the last 3,000 miles are through suburbs with strip mall after strip mall, 35 to 45 miles an hour.

What Did Jesus Drive? Crisis PR in Cars, Computers and Christianity officially launches November 1, but lots of people already have the paperback and the e-book in their hands and devices. The electronic versions beyond Kindle get loaded in a few days.

Then, it’s on to Vegas for SEMA2014. Keep the faith. Keep telling the truth. Over and out. Jason Vines

What Lee Iacocca and Autoweek’s Dutch Mandel said about What Did Jesus Drive? coming Nov.1

Jason Vines’ book is being described as “unprecedented,” “defining,” and a “light shining on darkness.”

“Jason’s story telling is his honest account of time well spent in a career documenting numerous pivotal events we all want to hear about.” Lee Iacocca.

“Jason Vines lived The Hurt Locker, defusing one public relations I.E.D. after another. To think some of the largest corporations we can name have been this close to pure PR disaster, and yet were saved by the insight Jason earned from decades of corporate cage fights, is truly amazing. What Did Jesus Drive is a deep dive – nay, it is the colonoscopy – into the bowels of business, and it shares stories long known by a select few, or whispered in hallways outside war rooms.”” Dutch Mandel, Autoweek Publisher.

What Democratic Strategist Joe Trippi is saying about What Did Jesus Drive? and Author Jason Vines

“Get me Jason Vines! How I wish as the candidates I worked for screamed, screwed, or gaffed their way into crisis, I had called on Jason Vines. This is more than a corporate PR book – it’s a masters’ class, no holds barred, white knuckle ride of insights and wisdom for anyone whose job it is to communicate for a living. Jack Nicholson’s character in “A Few Good Men” bellowed “you can’t handle the truth” – Jason Vines in raw and real story telling of his own journey explains to every politician, celebrity, corporate communications professional and government agency that has ever faced trouble (yes I am talking about you NFL – read this one Goodell!) why we have such a hard time telling the truth, why that’s the whole frickin’ problem and what we can do about it.” Joe Trippi, Democratic Campaign and Media Consultant.