Minister’s Announce Proposed Compulsory Recall for Defective Takata Airbags
Minister for Urban Infrastructure Paul Fletcher and the Minister for Small Business Michael McCormack on Thursday announced the Australian Government issued a Proposed Recall Notice for a compulsory recall of all vehicles with defective Takata airbags installed, following an Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) safety investigation.
Small Business Minister Michael McCormack and Minister for Urban Infrastructure Paul Fletcher wrote to vehicle manufacturers on 25 July 2017 for an urgent update on their voluntary recall processes.
The decision, made under section 132A of the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, follows a review of evidence and advice presented by the ACCC’s Takata Taskforce.
The Taskforce found Takata airbags without a desiccant (or drying agent) or with a calcium sulphate desiccant have a design flaw that can result in misdeployment, causing serious injury or death to vehicle occupants.
The recall affects more than 100 million vehicles worldwide, and the misdeployment of Takata airbags has been associated with 19 deaths globally, including one in Australia, and at least 200 injuries.
The Proposed Recall Notice will require suppliers to replace all defective Takata airbags by 31 December 2020, with priority given to airbags which pose the greatest safety risk, particularly vehicles with ‘alpha’ airbags.
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Image Source - Samuel M. Livingston