Second local Takata airbag-related fatality

BMW Australia has taken the unprecedented step of asking owners of E46 3 Series models built between 1997 and 2000 to stop driving them immediately due to fears those vehicles may have faulty Takata airbags linked to a second Australian fatality.

So serious is the issue that the German brand is even offering loan cars, hire cars and even vehicle buy-backs to owners of more than 12,000 cars involved in the latest Takata airbag scare.

Authorities are investigating the death of a BMW driver whose vehicle was said to have been fitted with “a different type of Takata airbag that poses a critical risk of death or serious injury to vehicle occupants”.

It and another recent crash in which a BMW occupant suffered serious but non-fatal injuries follows the death of an Australian motorist linked to the original Takata airbag recall.

A Sydney man was killed when the Takata airbag in his Honda CR-V ruptured in July 2017, while a serious injury also caused by a Beta type of Takata airbag was sustained by a Toyota RAV4 driver in Darwin three months earlier.

“The ACCC and the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development are working with police and other authorities to understand the facts regarding two recent suspected misdeployments of these inflators in Australia, including a death and a serious injury,” a statement from the ACCC said.

“Transport safety authorities in Australia, US and Japan have identified a different type of Takata airbag that poses a critical risk of death or serious injury to vehicle occupants, prompting an urgent recall of around 12 000 BMW vehicles which may still be in use on Australian roads”.

BMW today announced a voluntary recall of about 12,663 E46 3 Series vehicle built between November 21, 1997 and June 30, 2000.

It said if a vehicle with an affected airbag is involved in a collision, the airbag inflator could rupture, causing sharp metal fragments to enter the vehicle cabin at high speed and potentially killing or injuring vehicle occupants.

BMW advises owners of affected vehicles to stop driving their vehicle immediately and urgently contact their local BMW dealership or call BMW Australia’s Takata Hotline directly on 1800 243 675 to organise a free vehicle inspection.

Affected vehicles will be towed or a mobile mechanic will travel to inspect the vehicle, with BMW pledging to arrange loan cars, hire cars or even reimbursement.

The airbags are Takata NADI (non-azide driver inflator) type 5AT airbags and are not part of the current Takata airbag compulsory recall.

Consumers who are unsure of whether they are affected by this recall can use the BMW VIN look-up tool at recall.bmw.com.au.

“Because of the critical level of risk, the ACCC urges people to stop driving their vehicle immediately and to contact BMW to arrange to have their vehicle inspected as soon as possible,” said ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard.

“BMW will arrange to tow your vehicle to repair facilities for inspection, or send a mobile technician out to your premises or vehicle’s location to inspect the vehicle.

“If your vehicle has been fitted with one of these dangerous airbags, BMW will arrange a loan or hire car or reimbursement for alternative transportation costs until airbag replacement parts are available or until other arrangements are made. You may also wish to discuss the vehicle being purchased back by BMW.”

Details of the two BMW crashes are not yet known, nor how long it will take for replacement airbag parts to become available.

At least 24 people have died and more than 260 people have been seriously injured worldwide due to faulty Alpha and Beta type Takata airbags, which led to the world's biggest vehicle recall.

More than three million vehicles were affected by Takata recalls in Australia alone, and the drivers of about 500,000 vehicles are estimated to remain at risk -- including 20,000 BMW, Holden, Honda, Mitsubishi and Toyota vehicles fitted with defective Takata airbags now classified as “critical”.