SOME TIME AGO seniordriveraus spoke with Karl Gehling, head of corporate communications at Mitsubishi Motors Australia (MMAL), and he expressed considerable frustration with MMAL’s inability to convince some customers to have their Takata airbags replaced, despite repeated reminders and the company, in some instances, going well above and beyond to accommodate owners with replacement options.
Since the commencement of the Takata airbag recall campaign in October 2015, Mitsubishi dealers have replaced over 203,000 faulty Takata airbag inflators with non-Takata replacements from a total of 235,151.
Over 7,500 vehicles have been recorded as statutory write-offs, nearly 4500 units as economic write-offs.
As of May 1, 2019, there were just under 17,000 Mitsubishi owners who have registered vehicles fitted with faulty Takata airbags.
MMAL’s CEO, John Signoriello, reiterated the need for customers who have been notified of the recall to take action and bring their vehicle to their nearest authorized Mitsubishi dealer for the replacement of their faulty Takata airbag inflator.
“The recall is at no cost to owners and should not be ignored, too many people have been injured or killed here in Australia and overseas for this issue not to be taken seriously,” said Mr Signoriello.
“The safety of our customers is our highest priority and we know that while the majority of our customers have acted on the notifications we have sent them, some still ignore the multiple letters, emails, calls and personal visits we have made to ask them to let us replace their faulty airbags.”
“As vehicles get older, the risks grow. It’s critical we get these airbags off the road – it could save lives.”
Mitsubishi Motors Australia technicians have travelled to remote areas around the country including islands and isolated outback communities to replace faulty Takata airbags.
“We are committed to replacing all of the faulty Takata airbags in Australia but we know some owners are not taking action and we continue to seek the support of the State and Territory Governments to expand the registration restrictions some have introduced to include all faulty Takata airbags,” said Mr Signoriello.
“I urge all customers who have received a letter regarding this recall to not be complacent and act now to get the part replaced.”
Takata airbags; an ongoing threat
Takata airbag recalls first commenced in 2009 due to a fault in the airbags and has since expanded to include the majority of automotive manufacturers worldwide. MMAL’s first recall was launched in 2015. The mandatory recall in Australia was launched on 1 July 2018.
The fault affects vehicles involved in an accident that cause the airbag to be deployed. In some cases, the inflator can rupture causing metal parts to travel through the vehicle.
There have been 26 deaths worldwide attributed to Takata airbags, there have been no reported deaths attributed to Takata airbags in Mitsubishi vehicles. There is one confirmed death and one serious injury attributed to beta airbags in Australia. The most recent confirmed incident was that of Armando Ortega of Arizona US, reported in March this year.
Cars with airbags older than six years and those exposed to hot or humid conditions are at higher risk.
Automotive manufacturers, including MMAL, have made significant progress towards removing the airbags from the market. However, it is still possible that vehicles may be privately sold without the new owner knowing they have a vehicle with a defective airbag, so if you have purchased a second hand vehicle recently and don’t know for certain that the faulty airbags have been replaced, it is critical that you find out for sure.
It is a simple matter to check if your vehicle is affected:
- submit your registration number at https://ismyairbagsafe.com.au/ or the VIN of your Mitsubishi Motors vehicle at https://www.mitsubishi-motors.com.au/customer-assistance/vehicle-recalls
- Any authorized dealer can check and confirm if your vehicle is affected
- Alternatively, call 1800 931 811