Takata airbag recall upgraded to critical for 20,000 cars

[Sprintey]

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2019-10-...-accc/11574550

Has this one been mentioned here yet?

https://www.news.com.au/technology/i...dbde2f33c6fadb

Seems to have been implicated in 2 fatalities. RIP

[Yellow_Festiva]

There are certain drivers that don't use the internet, service at home and possibly know something about this but claim ignorance, because, after all nothing seems broken so why bother fixing it?

If they are going to get serious then send several warnings by text msg, 3 warnings by regular mail then if nothing put a black mark against their vehicle.

When they take it for a rego inspection it's towed from where it stands at the owners expense and put at the end of the line for a replacement.

Will work in NSW as the latest models seem to be 2014.

Won't work in other states where there isn't an annual inspection.

Make these vehicles not transferable. A buyer should check that this has been done, there should be an online register of compliance (is there??).

Try and sell a car that isn't fixed and the transfer can't be processed.

Try and buy a car that wasn't done and you didn't bother checking then you take ownership of an unregistered car till it's done. - Becomes the buyers problem much like buying an encumbered car.

When word gets around that this is how it will will be enforced watch the flood of people all of a sudden interested in getting their airbag replaced.

[aussiblue]

https://www.smh.com.au/business/cons...07-p538h6.html

BMW has taken the unprecedented step of asking owners of 12,663 of its 3 Series models made from 1997 to 2000 to stop driving immediately because their cars may have faulty airbags linked to a fatality and a serious injury in two separate crashes in Australia.

A safety bulletin issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on Thursday afternoon says: "Owners of affected vehicles should stop driving their vehicle immediately and urgently contact their local BMW dealership or call BMW Australia’s Takata hotline directly on 1800 243 675 to organise their free vehicle inspection.

[russellw]

I agree that there is going to need to be some way to confirm that the recall has been done for buyers of used vehicles. At the moment you can actually enter a VIN or rego into the recall airbag database and get a response as to whether it is affected and been done.

The BMW issue is a worse one - it smacks of them not being proactive (and they aren't alone in that) and now having the same supply chain issues that others who are late to the party are suffering.

Having said that, 1997-00 models should have been well up in the order for replacement as the older a vehicle is, the higher the risk and the families of those being killed would have a case against the manufacturer for either the delay in notification or remedy if they hadn't previously been told (not advised) to stop driving them.

[Citroënbender]

From my mate’s experiences they have been quite persistent and proactive since the findings of the Takata airbag related Honda fatality in Cabramatta a couple of years back. He’s ignored letters, phone calls, texts.

It’s just that many of these cars are now povo hacks in reality and people may be afraid of getting pulled up on other maintenance issues while at an authorised service agent.

[Dave R]

Had a rep from Holden actually visit my house last week to verify whether the recall had been done on one of our cars. The car in question has been in storage for some time, I'll probably need to get it towed to Holden and back. But props to them for being super proactive.

[Bossxr8]

How did this model slip through the net? You'd think they would have known from the original Takata recall which models had them fitted. Seems strange that a year or 2 later they are only aware of it now.

[danzvtil]

Originally Posted by Yellow_Festiva

There are certain drivers that don't use the internet, service at home and possibly know something about this but claim ignorance, because, after all nothing seems broken so why bother fixing it?

If they are going to get serious then send several warnings by text msg, 3 warnings by regular mail then if nothing put a black mark against their vehicle.

When they take it for a rego inspection it's towed from where it stands at the owners expense and put at the end of the line for a replacement.

Will work in NSW as the latest models seem to be 2014.

Won't work in other states where there isn't an annual inspection.

Make these vehicles not transferable. A buyer should check that this has been done, there should be an online register of compliance (is there??).

Try and sell a car that isn't fixed and the transfer can't be processed.

Try and buy a car that wasn't done and you didn't bother checking then you take ownership of an unregistered car till it's done. - Becomes the buyers problem much like buying an encumbered car.

When word gets around that this is how it will will be enforced watch the flood of people all of a sudden interested in getting their airbag replaced.

My work just transferred our trax from vic rego to SA rego, regency rejected it as it hadn’t had the airbag replaced, they wanted to see proof before giving new plates.

[Fairlane 500]

I have a number of cars including an immaculate very low mileage 1999 Audi TT
(Had it 10 years, I hardly driven since owning, did not buy for self.... long story)

Anyway, it is in the recall & Audi have told me that they will not fix it they will be buying it from me & that it can't be driven.

They said they will send a tow truck to take it to the Audi dealer in town for evaluation
& then they will work out how much they will offer me.

Naturally, I am concerned about losing the car & how much they will pay?

Anyone else had or know someone else who has had the same thing happen?

Thanks in advance for replies.

[Citroënbender]

I cannot see how that is not open to negotiation.

Without a minimum offer on the table I wouldn't let them near it - your property, your rules.

[Fairlane 500]

They have told me that the car is not safe to drive & in the next few months all the VIN numbers
of all the affected cars will be flagged with motor registration departments so they can't be registered or driven on the roads.

I am hoping they offer reasonable payment, I know I can refuse their first offer & ask for more
but I was wondering if anyone else knows how fair the offers have been so far?

[DougalXR6]

Our 1999 Mitsubishi Lancer, which we had purchased new, was included in the latest airbag recalls.


As soon as the recall was listed I contacted the local dealer and arranged to take the car in for inspection. After a one hour wait we were informed the drivers airbag was the faulty type and they wanted us to leave the car with them and they would take us home. We were advised that we would receive an offer from Mitsubishi within 10 days.


I wasn't happy about leaving the car with them so they had me sign a waiver which released Mitsubishi from any legal action.
Within a week I had received an offer of $4400 from Mitsubishi which I thought was very fair.


As we were planning on selling the car later this year I had been doing some research and was hoping to receive around $3500 if we had sold the car privately.
The Lancer was in very good condition with no damage inside or out and had been garaged all its life. It had traveled less than 180,000 Kms.
After accepting the offer I returned the car to the dealer and removed the number plates. We had to take the plates to the local RMS office and cancel the registration.


Once I had sent a copy of the registration cancellation documents to Mitsubishi we received the money in our bank account the next day.
The whole process went smoothly and we were pleased with the result.

[Fairlane 500]

I have spoken to Audi this morning & put on the handbrake on the idea of just handing over the car to them for the moment.

They agreed that it is fair for me to keep the car & just drop in to the Audi dealership so they can
check it has the bad airbag, do a condition survey & take pictures to be able to give me a valuation or offer.

I am looking in to options of legally looking after my interests & do not intend to let them have possession or control
of my car until I know a bit better how I stand with my rights.

[Citroënbender]

Are there genuinely no non-grenade airbags on the parts shelf for it? I’d have thought that prior to the recalls they might have been servicing a different supplier or spec already.

[naddis01]

Is it correct that the 'safe' air bags are basically the same as the old ones but with a moisture absorber added?

[Fairlane 500]

They have told me that when they look at the car,
if anyone had changed to a later model wheel & bag the VIN would be cleared
but they said that Audi was not going to change any, no option other than the buyback.

(I have seen on an Audi forum & I know that some people are borrowing
or buying other steering wheels to get around it.)

Only one inspection allowed & the VIN is either cleared or blacklisted,
they can't, knowingly let you fit something after they have seen the old one in there.

If they see an original it's game over.