Thousands yet to have Takata airbags replaced eight months after recall deadline

Up to 17,800 vehicles have yet to have their faulty Takata Alpha airbags replaced. Photo / 123RF

More than 3000 vehicles on New Zealand roads are fitted with fatal, potentially deadly airbags. Vehicles fitted with Takata Alpha airbags have been subject to a compulsory safety recall in New Zealand since April 2018.

Most motorists have replaced their airbags, but some stragglers are putting themselves and others at risk.

About 82,000 New Zealand-new and used vehicles were fitted with the airbags, a Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency spokesperson told the Herald.

"More than 78,000 vehicles have had their Alpha airbags replaced since the compulsory recall was announced in April 2018," the agency said.

"The remaining vehicles with Alpha airbags - 3402 as of Monday, 21 September - are unable to attain a new Warrant of Fitness (WoF) until the airbags have been replaced."

All affected vehicles will either need to have been repaired by the end of March next year or will no longer be able to be used legally on New Zealand roads.

To date, there have been no serious injuries or deaths in New Zealand related to the Takata Alpha airbags. This is no reason for people with affected vehicles not to get the issue resolved, Motor Industry Association chief executive David Crawford said.

"The reason it was a mandatory recall is because of the significant issues.

"We're not saying that every Alpha airbag, if detonated, will explode but the probability of one or more exploding in a detrimental way, it's higher than acceptable.

"We don't know which ones will detonate properly and those that will detonate okay - the difference between that [could] be death."

Manufacturers affected by the recall - BMW, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota - will replace the airbags free of charge, Crawford said.

The NZTA spokesperson reiterated Crawford's comments, saying anyone with the Alpha airbags should contact their manufacturer now.

"The biggest incentive is peace of mind about safety, but they can also avoid future inconvenience at WOF time around repair timings and not being able to use the vehicle."

Anyone who is not sure if they are affected can check their registration plate on the Rightcar website. In September last year, more than 17,000 vehicles still needed to get their airbags replaced.

More than 95 per cent of the 27,278 Toyota vehicles affected by the Alpha airbag issue have been replaced, a spokeswoman said.

AA general manager motoring Jonathan Sergel said: "The AA takes the safety of vehicles and occupants using our roads very seriously and we would encourage those who drive/own vehicles, and are yet to have the Takata Alpha airbag recall carried out, to get them checked ASAP.

"Not only will the vehicle now fail a WoF, but airbags play a huge part in vehicle occupant protection and it's important to know that they will operate as intended in the event of an accident."