Thousands of cars with recalled Takata alpha airbags still on the road

Friday, 7 August 2020

More than 4100 cars with potentially lethal Takata alpha airbags are still on the road and yet to be repaired, two years after the compulsory recall was announced.

In 2018 Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency (NZTA) announced a compulsory recall of the alpha airbags from Takata due to a risk of the inflators exploding, sending shards of metal that could seriously injure drivers and passengers.

Globally there were 29 deaths attributed to the defective airbags and more than 300 injuries. None have been reported in NZ, NZTA said.

Of about 82,000 new and used vehicles fitted with Takata alpha airbags in New Zealand, this week 4198 vehicles were still waiting to be repaired, NZTA said.

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Of about 82,000 new and used vehicles fitted with Takata alpha airbags in New Zealand, 4198 vehicles are still waiting to be repaired.

An NZTA spokeswoman said the figure was dropping by between 30 and 50 a day as vehicles were repaired and presented for their Warrant of Fitness (WoF).

There is a compulsory recall of the alpha airbags from Takata due to a risk of the inflators exploding, sending shards of metal that could seriously injure drivers and passengers.

The Takata alpha airbag recall in New Zealand affected cars from BMW, Honda, Isuzu, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota.

Drivers could check if their car was part of the recall on NZTA’s website.

While the recall ended on December 31, 2019, manufacturers would still replace airbags at no cost to vehicle owners, NZTA said on its website.

NZTA placed ban flags on 12,700 affected vehicles in March this year, which meant the vehicles could no longer attain a new WoF without the airbag being replaced.

A wider voluntary recall of Takata airbags has been under way since 2013 as part of a worldwide recall.

Vehicles with the non-alpha airbags are not subject to a WoF failure and owners were being contacted by dealers on behalf of manufacturers about bringing in their car in for replacement airbags to be installed as parts become available from overseas.

“It’s important the owners of these vehicles act on all recall notices they receive.”