NOT JUST A BAG OF AIR

What you should know about the Takata airbag inflator recall

The long–running compulsory recall may have shifted to the back of your mind, but it is still ongoing and, with numerous vehicles still equipped with the faulty airbags, remains of high importance to not only the affected vehicle manufacturers, but also to the Australian government.

If you haven’t done so already, you are strongly urged to check whether your car’s airbags are subject to the recall, for safety and for peace of mind.

So, what’s the problem? According to the Australian Consumer and Competition Commission, the Takata airbags are faulty and do not deploy as intended.

The ACCC further warns that the ‘alpha’ version of the airbag carries an even higher risk of serious injury or death, with a high risk of metal fragments and schrapnel being propelled from the airbag into the occupants of the vehicle.

At the moment, there are about 50,000 vehicles on the road containing the Takata alpha airbags and the ACCC believes those pose an immediate danger and should be replaced immediately.

As the airbag gets older, a combination of humidity and heat can affect the faulty airbags, causing it to deploy with too much force (or not at all) in the case of a collision.

The vehicle recall covers a large number of car manufacturers — from Audi to BMW, Subaru, Ford, Holden, Honda, Mazda, and many others — as well as a couple of motorcycles.

Several vehicles have been marked as ‘alpha’ and ‘critical’, including the 2001 and 2002 Honda CR–V models and various Mazda 6 models.

Check your airbags at www.productsafety.com.au and, if your vehicle is affected, arrange with your dealership to have the airbags replaced as soon as possible.