3000 vehicles still have potentially lethal airbags

AUCKLAND: More than 3000 vehicles on New Zealand roads are fitted with faulty, dangerous and potentially deadly airbags.

Vehicles fitted with Takata Alpha airbags have been subject to a compulsory safety recall in New Zealand since April 2018.

The majority of owners have resolved the issue by replacing their airbags but some stragglers are putting themselves and others at risk.

About 82,000 New Zealandnew and used vehicles were fitted with the airbags, an NZ Transport Agency spokesman said yesterday.

‘‘More than 78,000 vehicles have had their Alpha airbags replaced since the compulsory recall was announced in April 2018,’’ he said.

‘‘The remaining vehicles with Alpha airbags — 3402 as of Monday, 21 September — are unable to attain a new warrant of fitness [Wof] until the airbags have been replaced.’’

All affected vehicles will either need to have been repaired by the end of March next year or they will no longer be able to be used legally on New Zealand roads.

To date, there have been no serious injuries or deaths in New Zealand related to the Alpha airbags.

This was no reason for people with affected vehicles not to get the issue resolved, Motor Industry Association chief executive David Crawford said.

‘‘The reason it was a mandatory recall is because of the significant issues.

‘‘We’re not saying that every Alpha airbag, if detonated, will explode but the probability of one or more exploding in a detrimental way, it’s higher than acceptable.

‘‘We don’t know which ones will detonate properly and those that will detonate OK,’’ Mr Crawford said.

Any manufacturers affected by the recall — BMW, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota — would replace the airbag free of charge, he said.

The NZTA spokesman reiterated Mr Crawford’s comments, saying anyone with the Alpha airbags should contact their manufacturer now.

‘‘The biggest incentive is peace of mind about safety, but they can also avoid future inconvenience at Wof time around repair timings and not being able to use the vehicle.’’

Anyone with a vehicle who is not sure if they are affected can check their registration number on the Rightcar website to see if they fall under the recall.

In September last year, more than 17,000 vehicles still needed to get their airbags replaced.