Motor vehicles - Consumers' Federation of Australia

14 May , 2020

Helping motorists find the best deal at the bowser

The Marshall Liberal Government will deliver real time petrol pricing to South Australian motorists following the findings of an extensive review undertaken by the South Australian Productivity Commission. The Commission’s review found that while petrol price cycles still existed in those jurisdictions that did have fuel price monitoring, the presence of real time pricing data…

17 February , 2020

Reforming the new car retail market: Consultation

Car manufacturers, new car dealers and customers now have an opportunity to comment on the draft regulations that introduce changes for the sector under the Franchising Code of Conduct. Minister for Industry, Science and Technology Karen Andrews said the Government is committed to ensuring car dealers are given a fair go and that consumers have…

22 January , 2020

Honda and Mitsubishi recall 42,000 cars due to serious airbag safety risk

ACCC Media Release 3/20: Honda and Mitsubishi have commenced voluntary recalls for vehicles manufactured between 1996 and 2000 due to a serious safety concern relating to faulty airbags. These vehicles may have been fitted with potentially deadly Takata NADI 5-AT airbags. There is a risk these airbags may misdeploy in an accident and cause metal…

17 December , 2019

Consumers warned of new airbag safety risk

The ACCC is warning Australian consumers about a new safety risk in using certain vehicles fitted with a different type of faulty Takata airbag. These airbags, which are fitted with a NADI 5-AT propellant, are not captured under the existing compulsory recall of Takata airbags. There is a serious safety risk that these NADI airbags…

25 November , 2019

CCLSWA releases Consumer Protection Report

In October 2018, Consumer Credit Legal Service WA (CCLSWA) received funding from the Consumer Protection division of the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) for a 12-month law reform project. The project focused on four areas of law and policy that affect Western Australian consumers: Retirement village schemes Motor vehicle industry Australian Consumer Law with…

1 November , 2019

Driving Reform on car repairs

The Hon Michael Sukkar Media Release: The Coalition Government is committed to progressing the design of a mandatory information sharing scheme for motor vehicle service and repair information. This scheme forms part of our commitment to support appropriate commercial dealing and competition in the new car retail supply chain for the benefit of both small…

4 October , 2019

Urgent safety alert for ‘critical’ Takata airbags

Major car manufacturers, including BMW, GM Holden, Honda, Mitsubishi and Toyota, are warning that 20,000 vehicles already under recall for defective Takata airbags are now classified as “critical”. The ACCC is urging consumers not to drive these cars at all until the airbag has been replaced. “Cars with airbags listed as ‘critical’ should not be…

30 October , 2018

Hydrogen – A fuel for the 21st century

Like natural gas, hydrogen can be used to heat buildings and power vehicles. Unlike natural gas or petrol, when hydrogen is burned there are no CO2 emissions. The only by-products are water vapour and heat. Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, not freely available as a gas on Earth but bound into…

14 March , 2018

Volkswagen emissions con continues

Consumer group CHOICE says it’s time for real world emissions testing to ensure consumers aren’t misled by car makers CHOICE is renewing its call for real world testing of vehicle fuel efficiency following new research that found Volkswagen’s recalled and “fixed” cars are using more fuel and emitting more noxious emissions than allowed under Australian…

2 March , 2018

CHOICE welcomes action on deadly airbags

Consumer group CHOICE says car companies’ ongoing failure to protect the public from unsafe airbags reaffirms the need to tighten Australian Consumer Law. CHOICE has welcomed the compulsory recall of millions of potentially lethal Takata airbags, and is calling on the Federal Government to beef up Australian Consumer Law to make it explicitly clear that…

12 February , 2018

Changes to discounted prices on fuel price boards

From 31 January 2018, petrol stations will not be able to display conditionally discounted prices of fuel on the price board. All fuel retailers must show only the full price of fuel available to all motorists, instead of displaying potentially misleading or confusing prices. The regulation also requires fuel retailers to change the price displayed…

4 January , 2018

Consumer Watchdog to put petrol companies on notice

The Turnbull Government is directing the ACCC to investigate petrol companies and companies involved in all aspects of the petrol supply chain to ensure Australian families are getting a fair deal. The Government has issued a new direction to the ACCC giving them the power to monitor the prices, costs and profits relating to the…