Motoring

Takata recall: Car registrations to be cancelled if airbags not replaced

Nov 01, 2018

More than 325,000 cars with the deadly Takata airbags are still circulating Queensland.

Queenland’s Transport Department will start cancelling the registration of all vehicles that are yet to have the potentially deadly airbags replaced, The Courier Mail reports.

More than 325,000 cars with the deadly Takata airbags are still circulating the state, according to the Queensland Department of Transport. Of those, at least 2,500 are the most dangerous Alpha airbags, with a 50 per cent chance of mis-deploying in a crash.

The airbags’ inflators contain a defective gas and have the potential to explode upon impact and spray metal shrapnel into drivers and passengers. They have been blamed for as many as 230 injuries and at least 23 deaths around the world, including one in Sydney.

The compulsory recall, which was announced by the government in February and already involved nearly 4 million vehicles, is one of the largest in Australian history.

Affected brands included Honda, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Mazda and Lexus model cars that were sold between 2001 and 2004.

The Department of Transport reportedly said that a list is currently being compiled by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) with the registrations of all car owners who are yet to replace the faulty airbags.

It is understood that once that list is completed and handed to the Department, the registrations of drivers will begin to be cancelled if the airbags are not replaced, The Courier Mail reported.

A Transport Department spokeswoman told the publication: “If a member of the community receives a defect notice, we strongly recommend they contact their local dealer or manufacturer immediately to have the vehicle repaired.

“Failure to comply with the defect notice may result in cancellation of registration for the vehicle.”

Read more: 1.6M drivers still haven’t had deadly Takata airbags replaced

Consumer watchdog Choice urged Aussies last year to check their cars for dodgy airbags after a number of injuries were reported by Australian drivers. Previously, there was a voluntary recall in place but some drivers were unaware or didn’t respond to vehicle manufacturer’s efforts to replace the airbags, raising concerns that many Aussies were still driving with dangerous airbags in their cars.

Drivers will be notified by email, phone or text message when it is time for their replacement to be completed. You can check to see if your car is affected on the ACCC Takata airbag recall page.