Killer airbag recall: Is your car on the list of 50 fitted with these airbags?
The safety recall on Takata airbags – which are onboard around 50 different car models – is being badly managed, with long waits to switch bags out and some manufacturers even replacing the dangerous airbags with identical – and similarly hazardous airbags, a new Choice probe reports.
(Scroll down for the list of cars with these airbags on board)
Propellant inside airbags is creating projectiles
The ABC tells us “the airbags’ inflators contain ammonium nitrate propellants which can become volatile with age when exposed to changing temperatures, humidity and moisture.”
By volatile, they mean the airbag gas propellant may explode the metal canister it’s housed in, creating dangerous metal projectiles from the resulting pieces of the can.
It’s these propellant can projectiles that are responsible for 180 horrific injuries – and a dozen deaths.
1.4 million Australian cars still have these airbags on board
The very thing that you hope will save you in the event of a collision – an airbag – may actually be the thing that harms you most, yet there is very little awareness of this widespread and incredibly serious problem.
Choice confirms that “police reports and unsealed court documents detail the airbags violently exploding, sending ‘metal shards, shrapnel and/or foreign material’ into the cabin where the car’s occupants sit captive. The shards have been known to puncture people’s eyes, face, neck and chest.”
Blinding, paralysis, severed vocal chords and serious facial injuries resembling gunshot wounds have been reported as a result of the projectiles that may form in these faulty airbags, as the gas cans explode on inflation. (See that in slow-motion below – and watch for all those metal bits being flung from the airbag. Imagine that at high speed.)
Some replacement bags are faulty, too
Choice say that 1.4 million Australian cars are still fitted with defective – life threatening – airbags.
Seriously, if this is your car, do something about it quick smart – these things can cause life-long injuries or even death.
Choice also revealed even cars that have had their airbags replaced are still at risk, because some unscrupulous makers have just put the very same kind of dangerous airbags back into cars.
- Toyota confirmed to Choice that they had been replacing faulty Takata airbags with the same hazardous airbags – they are attempting to rectify this at the moment.
- Other car manufacturers, namely Nissan, Honda and Mitsubishi, did not respond to the consumer advocacy site’s queries on like-for-dangerous-like airbag replacements.
- Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep said they did not replace the dangerous airbags for the same one.
Suffice to say that if you have had the recalled airbags replaced, it would be prudent to investigate exactly which type of airbag they were replaced with.
Here’s some more information from the ACCC on what to do if you are impacted by this recall.
Is this YOUR car?
The ACCC are advising consumers that the recalled airbags are onboard the following very long list vehicles. (See further details at the ACCC website.)
“A number of car recalls have been announced in Australia for Takata front passenger and driver airbags. There have been injuries and deaths from faulty Takata airbags. A full listing of the current recalls is available below,” the ACC advise.
The following cars have dangerous, recalled Takata airbags on board:
BMW 3 Series E46 – 1999-2006 year range
BMW 5 Series E39, 3 Series E46, X5 E53 – 2002-2005 year range
Chrysler 300(LE/LX) – 2005-2012 year range
Chrysler 300C – 2005-2010 year range
Dodge RAM – 2004-2010 year range
Ferrari 458, California, FF – 2008-2011 year range
Ford Mustang – 2006-2014 year range
Honda Accord/CRV – 2001-2002 year range
Honda Civic – 2001
Honda Accord- 2001-2002 year range
Honda Civic, CR-V, Jazz – 2001-2003 year range
Honda Jazz – 2004
Honda Accord, CR-V, Civic, Jazz – 2003-2004 year range
Honda Accord Euro, CR-V, Civic, Jazz – 2002-2009 year range
Honda Jazz, CR-V – 2005-2007 year range
Honda MDX, Accord – 2001-2006 year range
Honda City, CR-V, Insight, Jazz – 2006-2012 year range
Honda City, CR-V, Insight, Jazz – 2011-2014 year range
Honda Civic, Legend, Jazz – 2006-2012 year range
Honda Accord Euro, City, CR-V, Jazz, Insight – 2007-2011 year range
Honda Legend, Odyssey, Accord, MDX – 2003-2011
Honda Civic, Accord – 2006-2011 year range
Jeep Wrangler JK – 2007-2012 year range
Lexus SC430 – 2000-2003 year range
Lexus IS 250, IS 250C, 350, IS F – 2005-2011 year range
Lexus IS 250, IS 350, IS 250C, IS-F, LFA – 2011-2012 year range
Mazda 2, B Series, BT-50- 2006-2011 year range
Mazda 2, RX-8 – 2003-2014 year range
Mazda 6 – 2002-2003 year range
Mazda 6, RX-8 – 2002-2004 year range
Mazda 6- 2005-2007 year range
Mazda 6 – 2006-2009 year range
Mazda 6, RX-8, B2500 ute/cab chassis, B2600 ute/cab chassis, BT-50 – 2002-2011 year range
Mitsubishi GA & GB i-MiEV – 2010-2011 year range
Mitsubishi Lancer – 2003-2008 year range
Mitsubishi ML & MN Triton – 2007-2014 year range
Mitsubishi Pajero NS, NT, NW, NX – 2007-2016 year range
Mitsubishi Pajero NS & NT – 2006-2009 year range
Nissan N16 Pulsar, Y61 Patrol – 2001
Nissan N16 Pulsar, Y61 Patrol, D22 Navara, T30 X-Trail – 2000-2004 year range
Nissan N16 Pulsar, D22 Navara, Y61 Patrol, T30 X-Trail, A33 Maxima – 2001-2003 year range
Nissan N16 Pulsar, D22 Navara, Y61 Patrol, T30 X-Trail, J31 Maxima- 2003
Nissan N16 Pulsar, D22 Navara, Y61 Patrol, T30 X-Trail, J31 Maxima – 2004-2007 year range
Nissan D22 Navara, T30 X-Trail, J31 Maxima – 2007-2008 year range
Nissan D22 Navara, Y61 Patrol – 2009-2012 year range
Nissan D40 Navara – 2008-2014 year range
Nissan Tiida – 2006-2012 year range
Peformax Silverado, Sierra, Mustang – 2007-2008 year range
Subaru Impreza – 2004-2007 year range
Subaru Impreza, Forester – 2008-2009 year range
Subaru Tribeca, Liberty, Outback – 2004-2009 year range
Toyota Corolla, Avensis Verso – 2000-2004 year range
Toyota Echo, Rav 4 – 2002-2003 year range
Toyota Corolla, Avensis Verso, Yaris – 2003-2007 year range
Toyota Corolla, Yaris, Avensis Verso – 2006-2011 year range
Toyota Corolla, Yaris & Rukus – 2010-2012 year range
Toyota Avensis Verso, Yaris – 2007-2008 year range
Toyota Echo, Rav 4 – 2003-2005 year range
Toyota Echo, Rav 4 – 2002-2003 year range
