Owners ignore killer airbags
MORE than 1.6 million cars still have potentially deadly airbags that have been linked to at least one death and one serious injury on Australian roads — as the latest figures show less than half the affected vehicles have been fixed.
The car industry has renewed calls for owners to bring in their vehicles and get affected airbags replaced free of charge.
A $6 million advertising campaign dubbed “Don’t Die Wondering” aims to locate the remaining vehicles with potentially deadly Takata airbags, some of which have a 50-50 chance of spraying shrapnel in a crash.
In Australia the safety recall has affected more than four million faulty airbag inflators in 3.05 million cars.
Some vehicles have more than one airbag that needs to be replaced, others need to have the same airbag replaced twice. The faulty airbags have the potential to spray shrapnel after exploding with too much force when triggered by a collision.
The world’s biggest automotive recall affects 100 million cars globally across 23 car manufacturers, including selected models from brands such as Toyota, Honda and Nissan and premium brands BMW, Mercedes and Ferrari.
Launching the website www.IsMyAirbagSafe.com.au the chief executive of the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, Tony Weber, said: “There have been 24 reported deaths and 266 injuries worldwide caused by … Takata airbag inflator ruptures, with one death and one serious injury reported in Australia.”
The ‘alpha’-type Takata airbags pose the greatest safety risk and have a one-in-two chance of spraying shrapnel when deployed in a crash.
Alpha airbag inflators were installed in certain BMW, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota models sold between
THESE VEHICLES WITH ALPHA AIRBAG INFLATORS SHOULD NOT BE DRIVEN AND OWNERS SHOULD IMMEDIATELY CONTACT THEIR MANUFACTURER
FCAI CEO TONY WEBER
2001 and 2004, the
FCAI says.
“Some 19,500 vehicles in Australia still need to have their alpha airbag inflators replaced as a matter of utmost urgency,” Mr Weber said. “In certain circumstances, there is a chance as high as one-in-two that these may rupture on deployment in a collision. These vehicles with alpha airbag inflators should not be driven and owners should immediately contact their manufacturer.”
Motorists can check if their vehicles are affected via IsMyAirbagSafe.com.au, productsafety.gov or text the word “Takata” to 0487 AIRBAG (0487 247 224) for more advice.