Takata airbags pose big safety risk this summer

More than 65,000 vehicles with deadly Takata airbags are still on Australian roads with less than four weeks to go before the compulsory recall reaches its deadline on December 31.

This fast-approaching D-day has prompted the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) to urge Australian motorists to check whether their car comes under the recall, with the risks heightened due to increased numbers of people planning road trips over the holiday period due to COVID-19 restricting international travel.

The latest figures released this week show that more than 6800 of the remaining vehicles are classified as “critical” (both alpha and non-alpha airbag types), meaning they should not be driven at all given the heightened risk of the airbags injuring or killing the occupants if they deploy.

For these vehicles, the manufacturer is obliged to arrange for the car to be towed or for a technician to be sent out to the owner’s home, at the car-maker’s expense.

The 65,451 vehicles in Australia that still have life-threatening Takata airbags in them represent an 89 per cent completion rate for the industry, with a further nine per cent deemed unable to be replaced.

In the latter case, these vehicles are classified as written-off, stolen, unregistered for more than two years, exported, modified or unable to be replaced, or where the owner has been “unresponsive or uncontactable”.

Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane’s outer suburbs have the most airbags still outstanding.

ACCC deputy chair Delia Rickard said there was no excuse for anyone to avoid having their vehicle’s airbags replaced, particularly when people’s lives are at stake.

“All you need to do is type in the car’s number plate and state or territory of registration online at ismyairbagsafe.com.au. You can even check it for others. It takes less than a minute and could save a life,” she said.

Ms Rickard said authorities were particularly concerned by the number of people who have simply refused to have their airbags replaced.

“We want to assure people that replacements will not cost anything, and could help protect you and your loved ones,” she said.

“States and territories are imposing registration sanctions for vehicles affected by the recall. Drivers who don’t get their airbags replaced could risk having their vehicle’s registration cancelled.”

The ACCC also emphasised that businesses which sell spare parts such as auto recyclers have obligations under the compulsory recall to check if they have affected airbags and notify manufacturers so the airbags can be safely collected and destroyed.

There has been at least one death associated with a Takata airbag that was installed in a vehicle as a repair following a collision.