Australia investigates Takata recalls after man’s death

Australia’s consumer watchdog is investigating the recall of Takata vehicle airbags in the country following the death of a man in a car crash in Sydney, which police have said may be linked to defective safety equipment. 

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is probing delays in the recall of defective airbags by manufacturers and the alleged use of replacement components that may degrade over time and require a second recall. 

“Do not ignore or delay responding to a letter from your car’s manufacturer or retailer asking you to have your car’s airbag replaced,” ACCC chairman Rod Sims said on Monday. “The airbags degrade over time and can become lethal by misdeploying and firing metal shards at the car’s occupants.” 

The investigation is the latest in a series of safety scandals involving exploding airbags, which have led to the recall of tens of millions of vehicles worldwide and recently pushed the Japanese automotive supplier into bankruptcy.

Australian police have said the death of a man involved in a crash in Sydney on July 13, as well as serious injuries sustained by a female motorist in April in the Northern Territory, may be linked to the faulty safety equipment. It would be the first Takata-related death in Australia if the airbag link is confirmed.

The ACCC said it is seeking information from car manufacturers and the government department responsible for vehicle safety about a product recall that has involved 2.3m vehicles in Australia since 2009.

It cited concerns, raised at the weekend by Australian consumer group Choice, that some replacement airbags were treated with a water-absorbing chemical that may cause them to degrade over time and require them to be replaced again after six years. 

In its investigation into the handling of the recall by Takata and car manufacturers, Choice said more than two-thirds of the cars recalled in Australia still have not had the faulty airbags replaced.

“In some cases, defective Takata airbags are being replaced with the same defective Takata airbags,” said Choice. “BMW, Toyota, Lexus, Mazda and Subaru are among the brands that have made identical replacements.”

The ACCC said it would investigate the claims. “We would have very serious concerns if manufacturers were found to be misleading consumers about their cars’ safety in breach of their obligations under consumer law,” said Mr Sims. 

Takata’s airbag inflators, which have a propensity to explode in humid conditions, have been linked to at least 17 deaths and more than 100 injuries worldwide, triggering a huge recall that ultimately could affect more than 100 more vehicle types sold by at least 13 carmakers.

The car industry already has spent $13bn recalling affected vehicles, according to estimates by Tokyo Shoko Research, and manufacturers including Honda, Nissan and Toyota have set aside funds for the fixes saying they do not expect to be able to recoup the costs from Takata. 

Last month Takata filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan and the US, with estimated liabilities exceeding US$10bn.