Takata recall reaches 85 per cent

THE biggest vehicle safety recall in Australian history has ticked over 85 per cent completion, but that still leaves more than 300,000 vehicles out there with potentially dangerous Takata airbag inflators.

In a press release urging vehicle owners to check to see if their vehicle required replacement airbags, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) deputy chair Delia Rickard said the Takata recall was going well, with 3.5 million airbags rectified in 2.53 million vehicles.

She said that 67,800 vehicles were fixed in October alone.

“The recall is progressing well, with about 4000 airbags replaced each business day, but there are still too many of these dangerous airbags on our roads,” she said.

“Please do not ignore or delay responding to recall notifications about the Takata airbag recall.”

The ACCC estimates 371,000 airbags in 323,000 vehicles still need to be replaced.

Of these, about 3200 are potentially dangerous critical-alpha-equipped vehicles, while a further 10,300 vehicles have critical non-alpha bags.

“If your vehicle has a critical airbag, you should stop driving it immediately,” Ms Rickard said.

“Suppliers should offer to tow your vehicle to the place of repair or arrange for a qualified technician to travel to you, so you do not have to drive your vehicle.”

Vehicle owners can check their vehicle’s status at ismyairbagsafe.com.au.

The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) says the website has now clocked up nine million vehicle checks, with 1.5 million coming up positive for an airbag replacement.

FCAI chief executive Tony Weber said his organisation was pleased that vehicle owners had reached out in such strong numbers.

“The nine million vehicle milestone represents more than half of the 17.8 million passenger cars and light commercial vehicles on Australian roads,” he said.

The 2.53 million vehicles successfully rectified excludes 242,797 inflators (5.9 per cent) in 203,552 vehicles that suppliers have identified as written off, scrapped, stolen or modified and unable to have the airbag replaced.