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- Takata airbag scandal
This was published 6 years ago
What the compulsory Takata airbag car recall means for you
An American woman who lay dying after a car crash, with injuries so bad investigators thought she had been stabbed in the neck.
A Texas teenager who died after a low-speed "moderate" car crash near her high school. A 58-year-old man killed in a collision in Cabramatta, in western Sydney, having been struck in the neck by a small metal fragment.
It's those kinds of stories - among 23 reported deaths worldwide - that are behind the compulsory recall of more than 2 million cars in Australia due to potentially lethal Takata airbags.
The airbags have a defective inflator, which can rupture when the airbag goes off, shooting out sharp metal fragments.
Some vehicles have long been the subject of voluntary recalls over the airbags, so what does the compulsory recall mean for owners and drivers?
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) has an extensive guide for consumers affected by the recall. The main points include:
- Drivers are urged to check if their vehicle has been recalled, and to call the manufacturer to arrange a replacement airbag as soon as possible.
- A subset of airbags called Alpha are the most dangerous, and their replacement is a priority.
- Vehicles with the Alpha airbags are under "active recall", meaning drivers should urgently contact the manufacturer to have the airbag replaced immediately.
- Other vehicles will be recalled on a rolling basis depending on the level of safety risk.
- If you had your airbag replaced under the voluntary recall process, you may need to have it checked again as some manufacturers replaced old Takata airbags with new ones, which only delays the risk of explosion.
- The replacements are carried out for free, and a loan car is to be provided in certain circumstances, like if the supplier requires you to leave your car for more than 24 hours.
- Suppliers of vehicles with defective Takata airbags have to replace them in all affected Australian vehicles by December 31, 2020. If that seems like a long time to be driving with a potentially lethal airbag, that's just the deadline. Many major suppliers say they have the replacement parts, and repairs should take less than four hours.
- Most manufacturers say they have already sent out letters to owners of recalled models.
What the suppliers say:
Many car manufacturers have listed a Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) checking tool on their websites, so you can search to see if your car has been recalled, as required under the terms of the recall.
Those suppliers who don't have tools or information available to consumers on their websites have until July 1 to do so.
- BMW says it "takes all safety recalls very seriously" and urges drivers of some models between 2008-2013 to contact local dealers to arrange replacements.
- Honda says "your safety is our No.1 priority", and has published a comprehensive list of recalled vehicles, advising which models need to be taken for immediate repair.
- Lexus Australia's chief executive Peter McGregor says customers are encouraged to have their vehicles seen to as soon as they are notified that parts are available. Lexus has contacted registered owners by mail, and has published a VIN search tool.
- Mazda has provided an online service booking tool, advising cars fitted with the Alpha airbags will be given priority, though all owners can immediately book in for a replacement.
- Mitsubishi has a detailed FAQ page, and a VIN search tool.
- Nissan has an information video, and says it has been contacting owners. It urges drivers who believe their vehicle may have the defective airbag to call their local dealer.
- Suburu says it has contacted affected owners, and parts are available locally. It estimates replacements will take two hours.
- Toyota has a VIN search tool, and says parts are available locally.
- Ford has a VIN search tool for owners.
What Choice says:
The consumer group welcomed the recall, but called on the government to strengthen laws to crack down on the sale of unsafe products, pointing to the "like-for-like" airbag replacements.
“While we welcome the compulsory recall, it’s time the federal government strengthened Australian Consumer Law through the mandating of a general safety provision, strong recall requirements and bigger financial penalties," Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey said.
“It’s appalling car companies have been able to get away with making like-for-like replacements of dodgy airbags without notifying consumers of the ongoing risk for years."