Takata recall ensnares 17,000 JLR vehicles

JAGUAR Land Rover (JLR) Australia will pre-emptively recall about 17,000 vehicles due to concerns over potentially faulty Takata airbag units, although the car-maker is yet to reveal which exact models are affected.

According to JLR Australia, the precautionary recall is not a reaction to any incident or deployment involving the at-risk Takata airbags, but the announcement comes the day before discussions between the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) and vehicle manufacturers on mandating compulsory Takata-related call backs.

Obligatory recalls for affected vehicles were proposed last month by minister for small business Michael McCormack, where he said “the actions taken have not resulted in a satisfactory rate of removal and replacement of Takata airbag inflators to prevent injury in vehicle occupants, despite the lengthy period during which voluntary recalls have been in place”.

The Takata vehicle recall is the biggest automotive recall in history and has now captured about 2.5 million vehicles in Australia since 2009, and up to 100 million vehicles worldwide, with 19 confirmed deaths (one in Australia) and more than 200 injuries attributed to the faulty airbags.

The defect in Takata airbag units means that, over time and with the build-up of moisture, the ammonium nitrate propellant can degrade and lead to shrapnel shooting into the vehicle’s cabin upon deployment.

In the statement released by JLR Australia, a spokesperson said: “We would rather err on the side of caution and recall vehicles for airbag replacement despite no reports of failed airbags in any of our vehicles anywhere in the world.

“Customer safety comes first.”

Affected models are expected to be revealed in the near future once discussions with the ACCC are finished, with JLR Australia prioritising the repair of older models first that have an increased risk of misdeployment.

“We want to ensure our recall takes place as quickly as possible and with the least amount of inconvenience or anxiety for customers, based on replacement airbag availability and dealer capacity,” the car-maker said.