AIRBAGS TICKING BOMB
Slack motorists could be driving lethal vehicles.
About 43,000 cars are still on the road containing the most dangerous types of faulty Takata airbags.
Components in the airbags have deteriorated over time and could spray shrapnel into the cabin when the airbag is triggered in an accident.
Faulty airbags caused one death in Sydney during July (as well as seriously injuring a driver in Darwin), along with 18 fatalities overseas.
While thousands of airbags have been replaced, some owners have failed to act on warnings. Many have told dealers they don’t have time for the work to be undertaken or are too lazy to take their vehicle back to the manufacturer.
The work is carried out free by dealerships. According to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, the higher-risk “alpha airbags” were installed in some models of Honda, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Mazda and Lexus cars, sold in Australia from about 2001–2004.
“We urge drivers of vehicles with alpha airbags installed to immediately book in to have their airbags replaced before driving anywhere over the Christmas holiday period,” ACCC deputy chairwoman Delia Rickard said.
“There is a significant and much higher risk of injury or death involved in driving vehicles fitted with these alpha airbags.
“As we approach the festive season, many of us are driving longer distances, so it is vital to act now to avoid a tragedy. If you have a car that contains an ‘alpha’ airbag, our advice is to not drive it until the airbag has been replaced.”
During October, Honda pleaded with remaining owners to have their vehicles repaired.
Honda Australia director Stephen Collins said any Honda customers who were still unsure about the status of their vehicle should check the Honda recall website and ensure the company has their latest contact details.
The manufacturer issued an even more graphic recall letter with the headline “Choosing Not to Act Could Be Deadly”.