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 may misdeploy in an accident, which may cause metal fragments to propel out of the airbag at high speed, causing serious injuries or death to vehicle occupants. There is also a risk that these airbags may under-inflate.
About 78,000 vehicles manufactured by Audi, BMW, Ford, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Suzuki and Toyota between 1996 and 2000 and fitted with the faulty airbags with NADI 5-AT inflators were supplied in Australia. While it is expected that many of these vehicles will no longer be in use, a substantial number of affected vehicles are likely to be still registered and still in use.
The Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development and the ACCC are continuing to negotiate with these suppliers to finalise all voluntary recalls as soon as possible.
Drivers of affected vehicles should be aware of the serious safety risk they face if they have an affected car and consider other transport options.
Check if your vehicle is affected by looking at the table below or via the Product Safety Australia website.
ACCC Media Release 17/12/19