At least 155,000 vehicles containing potentially deadly Takata airbags are still on our roads and with less than six months before Manufacturers are expected to complete their recall of these vehicles, the ACCC has urged consumers to check if their vehicles are affected and if so book them in for replacement.

According to the latest ACCC figures on the compulsory recall, about 180,000 airbags (4.4 per cent of all airbags subject to this recall) in more than 155,000 vehicles (5.1 per cent of affected vehicles) are yet to be replaced.

ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said that more than 6,000 of those vehicles were so dangerous that they should not be driven at all. These vehicles contain the highest risk ‘critical’ airbags, and states and territories will be de-registering them to take them off the road. Some states and territories are also preventing re-registration of unregistered vehicles unless there is evidence that the affected airbag has been replaced.

In the three months to the end of July, more than 40,000 vehicles had their airbags replaced despite the pandemic, and a further 2,250 vehicles were identified as no longer on the road. On average, more than 3,100 airbags have been replaced each day since the compulsory recall began in March 2018.

“There are only six months left for Manufacturers to meet their replacement obligations, and while the compulsory recall is progressing well, it is important to get these remaining deadly airbags off our roads,” Ms Rickard said.

Takata fast facts:

• As at 30 June 2020:
• In total about 3.66 million airbag inflators (89.2%) have now been rectified in about 2.68 million vehicles (87.8%).
• This leaves 180,869 airbag inflators (4.4%) in 155,351 vehicles (5.1%) remaining for replacement.
• An additional 262,725 airbags (6.4%) in 218,393 vehicles (7.1%) were reported by suppliers as unrepairable (written off, unregistered for more than two years, exported, scrapped, stolen, or modified and unable to have the airbag replaced).
• There are 1,334 vehicles with critical-alpha airbags and 4,718 vehicles with critical non-alpha airbags outstanding for replacement.
• Vehicles with critical airbags should not be driven, and drivers are entitled to have their vehicles towed to the dealership to have the airbag replaced for free.