DON'T YANK THESE BAGS!: Deployed

By Katie Stark and Paul D’Adamo
After 22 months of saying #yankthatbag, we finally have a reason to say, “Don’t Yank These Bags”. Of course, we are referring to Deployed Airbags. Maybe you haven’t heard?? Shortly after we released our YAPP (Yard Airbag App) for removing Takata airbags from vehicles, we pursued the idea of using our YAPP to process Deployed airbags. The YAPP allows us to collect enough pictures to verify that a Deployed airbag was associated with a vehicle. Those photos can then be presented as a “package” to the Automakers as enough evidence for NHTSA to remove it from the Takata recall list. All of this without removing the airbags, hence the phrase “Don’t Yank These Bags”.
As the exclusive contractor for the Automakers, RAS takes its responsibilities very seriously. We ask all Recyclers to follow the strict parameters of the YAPP. Always take good quality photos as specified in the YAPP. Photos must be taken at the vehicle. Warning: photos of your vehicles from your computer screen do not constitute valid photos! Deductions and rejections will apply for yards that don’t adhere to the YAPP requirements. Also, RAS has an auditing team that reviews each VIN submitted through the YAPP to verify photos and their associated geo-location.
At most, you will take four photos, as in the example of a vehicle with two valid airbags that happen to be deployed. The first photo is of the complete dash (including the steering column). The second photo is of the VIN plate on the door jamb. The last two photos include individual photos of the driver and passenger airbags. The last step is Add to Cart. Need I remind you “Don’t Yank These Bags”.
Full Service-Dismantling operations have the most to gain since approximately 70% of the vehicles purchased at auction have at least one airbag that has been deployed. The additional labor for an Inventory Technician to snap the photos is minimal. Whether you are full-serve, self-serve, scrap-processor, shredder, or any other variation of auto recycler, RAS is giving you another way of squeezing additional revenue from your vehicle inventory.
Effective 11/8/19, the following automakers are participating in the Deployed Program: Ford/Lincoln/Mercury, Mitsubishi, Toyota/Lexus/Scion, Nissan/Infiniti. We are currently working on Mazda, Honda, Subaru, Jaguar/Land Rover, GM, and Mercedes. Either way, we want you to process ANY and ALL Deployed airbags for valid VIN’s through the YAPP. Most of the remaining automakers have indicated that they will retroactively pay recyclers the $15 for any of the Deployed Airbags.
For more information on how to capture Bounty for “DEPLOYED” airbags, call Paul the Recall Guy at 401-458-9080 or email pdadamo@coresupply.com.