More states prepare to ban cars with dodgy Takata airbags from our roads
THE recall on potentially deadly Takata airbags has stepped up a notch, with more states ready to ban dodgy cars.
THE push to cancel the registration of cars equipped with potentially deadly Takata airbags has gained momentum across Australia.
Just days after South Australia announced tough new restrictions on rego renewals for cars equipped with the more dangerous “Alpha” type of Takata airbag, authorities in Tasmania and Queensland have followed suit — and other states are poised to do the same.
On the weekend South Australia became the first jurisdiction to cancel the registration and/or rego renewal of cars with certain types of Takata airbags, which can spray shrapnel in a crash.
The move followed revelations last week that many private buyers and used car dealers have sold cars with faulty airbags. In a loophole in the recall process, it is not illegal for a private seller to offload an affected car.
When contacted by News Corporation the Tasmanian Government said: “We are currently acting to suspend the registrations of affected vehicles”.
A department spokesperson said: “All affected owners of vehicles fitted with Alpha type (Takata) airbags were sent Warning of Imminent Suspension letters by registered post in the first week of August or were directly contacted by the Office of the Registrar of Motor Vehicles by phone. For those who did not act to get the faulty Alpha airbag replaced Suspension Notices will be issued shortly.”
The Queensland Transport authority said it will be “contacting current registered operators of vehicles with high risk ‘alpha’ airbags, followed by a letter and defect notice requiring these airbags be replaced as a matter of urgency”.
“Failure to comply with the defect notice may result in cancellation of registration for the vehicle.”
The Queensland Transport authority added: “Any action we take will be based on advice from the ACCC (that) the identified vehicle has a major defect which in this case would be the presence of alpha airbags which have not been replaced.”
The Northern Territory is poised to follow suit. A spokeswoman for the Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Logistics said the department was “developing measures to address the owners of vehicles with Alpha airbags who are ignoring repeated requests from vehicle suppliers to present their vehicles for rectification.
“The NT is intending to implement registration sanctions process for vehicles fitted with Alpha airbags on advice from the ACCC that a supplier has met all their obligations under the recall in contacting a vehicle owner, and the owner is still not presenting the vehicle for rectification.”
Officials in West Australia said the Department of Transport was “considering the use of its powers under WA road laws and may prevent the granting, renewal or transfer of a vehicle licence for vehicles fitted with an Alpha Takata airbag. Alternatively DoT may suspend or cancel the vehicle licence if a responsible person for the vehicle does not have the faulty airbag replaced.”
Authorities in WA said owners of affected vehicles were sent letters on August 10 “warning them not to drive the vehicles”.
“The letter also explained how to contact their particular manufacturer for free airbag replacement and advised that the DoT will be considering the use of its powers to prevent the vehicle being used on WA roads,” the statement said.
Officials in NSW said: “Roads and Maritime Services is considering a number of options”.
The NSW RMS also mirrored the official comment by VicRoads: “We continue to work closely with the ACCC and all Australian states and territories to assist vehicle manufacturers to contact owners of vehicles affected by the recall to ensure Takata airbags are replaced as soon as possible.”
The “Alpha” type of Takata airbags have a 50:50 chance of spraying shrapnel when deployed in a crash. About 15,000 out of a batch of 90,000 remain on Australian roads.
Meanwhile, 1.8 million other types of Takata airbags — with a 1 per cent chance of spraying shrapnel in a crash and which have already claimed one life and a serious injury locally — remain to be fixed under the recall.
Motorists can check if their car is affected by typing their registration or vehicle identification number into the website www.ismyairbagsafe.com.au.
This reporter is on Twitter: @JoshuaDowling