Takata recalls faulty airbags

Takata recalls faulty airbags

Faulty Takata-manufactured airbags installed in a vast array of automobiles are responsible for dozens of deaths and hundreds of injuries globally, and they may be in yours. Australia’s premier automotive industry organization, the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries, is urging all vehicle owners to determine whether they own one or more of the estimated 6 million vehicles on the roads that are equipped with the potentially faulty airbags.

“Don’t die wondering”

The bold tagline is part of the information campaign to get the word out about Australia’s compulsory nationwide recall. Vehicle owners and operators are urged to visit IsMyAirbagSafe.com.au, enter their number plate and state of residence, and then click Check My Vehicle to determine if theirs is one of the millions of vehicles that needs its Takata inflator replaced by 2020, or one of the 19,500 Takata alpha airbag inflators, which are the ones that are marked “critical,” and must be replaced immediately.

In these latter cases, the FCAI reports that as many as half of the vehicles are likely to experience a catastrophic failure, hence the campaign’s urgency. According to the organisation, vehicles, especially those that are older, may experience a heightened risk of a faulty airbag incident due to exposure to hot and humid climates. When they fail, these airbags can send metal fragments at a high velocity toward the vehicle’s driver and other occupants, resulting in the potential for serious injury or death.

Vehicles owners affected by the recall will not be responsible for the costs of replacing the airbags and parts. Broadly, the faulty airbags are found in a variety of BMW, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan, and Toyota vehicles sold between 2001 and 2004. As an alternative to visiting IsMyAirbagSafe.com.au, vehicle owners can text the word “Takata” to 0487 AIRBAG (0487-247-224) to get more details about the recall.