Motoring

Audi, Ford, Toyota cars added to Takata airbag recall

May 28, 2018

The recall is the largest in automotive history. Source: Getty

Audi, Ford and Toyota are among over 1 million cars that have just been added to the recall list for potentially deadly airbags.

The latest list, announced by the Australian Competition Consumer Commission (ACCC), brings the total number of cars recalled nationally to 4 million.

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 ACCC on Sunday published a “future recall” list, which included the Audi A5, Mercedes Benz C Class, Koda Octavia, Ford Mondeo, Volkswagen Golf, Holden Cruze and Toyota Yaris, among other models.

“As part of the compulsory recall of vehicles with Takata airbags, the list below shows vehicles that are not yet under active recall, but will be subject to future recalls by their manufacturers,” ACCC wrote on Sunday.

Around 1.1 million vehicles are under future recall to have defective #takata airbags replaced. Check if yours is on the list & update your contact details with your manufacturer. https://t.co/10p5P3D1pv

— ACCC Product Safety (@ACCCProdSafety) May 27, 2018

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.

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.

Reports say that of the approximately 4 million cars affected, there are still an estimated 2.3 million with faulty airbags on the road. Manufacturers Ford, Holden and Volkswagen, among others, will be forced to replace the airbags within two years, with priority given to Alpha airbags, which pose the greatest safety risk.

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.