Recalls

I own a 2006 Toyota Corolla hatch. Should I be concerned about the recall overseas of cars with defective airbags that contain shrapnel and have killed and hurt people already? What should I do about this problem and where do I go? Is it safe to still be driving?

The number of Australian cars affected in the world’s biggest recall is now more than 637,000 and climbing.The majority of motorists have no option other to wait up to a year before the airbags are replaced -- because the supplier at the centre of the crisis can’t build them fast enough.It became the biggest recall in the world after Japanese manufacturer Takata -- which supplies 20 per cent of the car industry’s airbags -- admitted in a US hearing this week the problem was more widespread than it had claimed for years.The faulty airbags, which can explode shrapnel if deployed in a crash, have so far claimed six lives overseas. No deaths or injuries have been reported in Australia.Legal experts say motorists have little choice but to endure the painstaking wait for the replacements, and they can’t sue the car companies unless someone dies or is seriously injured from the defective airbags.The crisis has left drivers with the unenviable task of taking the risk and driving their cars or -- if they can afford it -- park their recalled car until new airbags become available.The faulty airbags have so far claimed six lives overseas.So far, authorities in the US and Australia have not ordered the recalled cars off the road.The odds of being killed are difficult to calculate. Not all of the airbags in the 53 million cars are defective.But internal testing by Takata over the past six months found 265 of 30,000 recalled airbags had ruptured -- or less than 1 per cent.That may sound like good odds, until you realise it still leaves 530,000 cars around the world -- and at least 6000 in Australia -- with airbags that can kill. At first it was thought only airbags fitted to vehicles with long term exposure to humidity were most at risk.But this week Takata doubled the number of airbags recalled after determining humidity may not have been the only contributing factor.In the faulty airbags, the propellant in the inflator deteriorates over time, making it more volatile and prone to explode with too much force when deployed in a crash.In Australia, perhaps because there have been no known airbag-related deaths locally, it seems not everyone is in a panic to get their car fixed.Then again, the majority of owners of affected cars don’t have a choice but to wait.Retired couple Mark and Delwyn Bridgeman waited a year before they took their 2002 Honda CR-V to get fixed.“Honda contacted me about a year ago to say there was going to be a recall, and then in January they said I could bring the car in,” said Mr Bridgeman, who bought his CR-V new 12 years ago.“When I heard the extra recalls on the radio the other day I thought I better get in quick. I got mine fixed yesterday.”Honda only needed to replace the passenger airbag in this instance. Was his wife Delwyn worried that she was sitting in front of a potentially deadly airbag in her husband’s car?“He’s a very safe driver,” said Mrs Bridgeman. “After 60 years of driving, how many accidents have we had?” Presumably the rhetorical question meant they had none.Young couple Kelly and Gene White and their three-year-old boy use their 2006 Toyota Corolla hatchback as a family car.“It’s a little bit worrying that if we have an accident we could have shrapnel flying at us,” said Mrs White. “We want to get it fixed as fast as possible, so it’s distressing to have to wait so long.”Young mum Farah didn’t know about the airbag recall until News Corp Australia approached her in a shopping centre car park. With her 17-month-old boy secured in a baby capsule in the back seat of the 2002 Honda CR-V handed down to her from her parents, Farah told us: “Now that I know about (the recall) I’m a bit nervous to be honest. I try to drive carefully, but what if a crash happens, even if it’s not your fault? There is still a risk the airbags could go off. How do you know yours isn’t one of the deadly ones?”P-plate driver Emmalene Royce has a 2005 Toyota Echo that was originally her grandmother’s car. She learned to drive in it and the car has been in the family since new.“I won’t sell the car because I have an emotional attachment to it,” she said. “I definitely want to get it fixed but I don’t have a choice but to drive this car while I wait for the new airbags. I can’t afford to buy another car.”Josh Simons, a partner from Thomson Geer, a competition and consumer law firm, says there may be little action motorists can take now that the car companies involved have issued recalls.“Consumers now have an obligation to take reasonable steps to protect themselves, but car companies are not off the hook,” said Mr Simons.“They must fix the product, and they may still be liable if a death or serious injury does occur as a result of a faulty airbag.”Even then, however, car makers may not be entirely to blame should the worst happen.Given that the Federal Government must be notified of all recalls, Mr Simons says “it is up to the relevant minister to decide if the recall action taken is reasonable”. As the car industry is grappling with the biggest recall it has ever faced, some customers are demanding replacement vehicles until the new airbags arrive.“If the car has a major defect, you’re entitled to a replacement or a refund -- at the customer’s choice -- depending how old the cars is,” said Mr Simons.“If a customer wants a replacement or a refund it has to be a reasonable period of time from the date the car was purchased new.”However, the definition of a “reasonable period of time” is open to interpretation and depends on the circumstances of the particular goods involved, says Simons.“If you bought a used car from a business, potentially you have rights (to a replacement or refund) against the business you bought the car from,” said Mr Simons.“If you bought a used car privately, you have no recourse against the person who sold you the car, but you may still have rights against the car manufacturer.”When News Corp Australia contacted the brands affected by the airbag recall, most did not know how many cars had already been repaired, or exactly when they would be fixed.“Replacement parts are presently being prepared and, due to the number of vehicles impacted globally, it is anticipated that sufficient parts will be available to commence recall repairs by early next year,” said Toyota Australia’s media statement.The tally for Toyota's airbag recall cars in Australia now eclipses 207,000, Honda totals more than 188,000, Nissan has 156,000 affected cars, utes and four-wheel-drives, and Mazda has called back 5100 vehicles.Of the 4500 Chrysler 300C sedans recalled, the company says 3400 will be fixed by the end of June after airfreighting parts.BMW has recalled 43,000 cars and says it has replacement airbags available, while Mercedes-Benz says it fixed 20 cars in Australia last year.Overnight on Friday, Subaru Australia announced a recall of 33,548 Impreza cars made between 2004 and 2007. That brings the number of cars recalled so far to more than 637,000, but that figure is expected to grow in the coming weeks once Takata provides each manufacturer with the new, broader range of affected airbags. What should you do? If you have a recalled car, expect a letter in the mail, even if you didn’t buy it new. The car industry uses NEVDIS (National Exchange of Vehicle and Driver Information System) which is the database of Australian driver and vehicle information to contact owners of recalled cars. The industry code of conduct says three letters should be sent to the registered owner of the vehicle; the third and final letter is sent by registered post if the repair has not been made within six months. Should you disable the airbag in the meantime? Safety experts advise not to tamper with the airbag. How do I find out if my car is affected? Go to recalls.gov.au and click on the “cars” link and then click on your brand of car. If you’re unsure what make, model, and year your car is, all the information is on your car registration form. Still in doubt? Visit the service centre of a dealership and they can tell you if your car is affected. Or see our list below. Will the recall cost me anything? All recall work is free of charge. The repairs themselves take about 90 minutes but the dealership service centre may want your car for a day while dealing with the backlog. What about Holden and Ford? Although General Motors (Holden’s parent company) and Ford are affected in the US, both companies say cars sold in Australia are so far not caught up in the Takata airbag recall. Takata airbags: the recalled models so far Chrysler 300C sedan 2005 to 2007BMW 3 Series 1997 to 2006Honda Jazz 2004 to 2009Honda Accord Euro 2004 to 2007Honda CR-V 2002 to 2008Honda Civic 2004 to 2005Lexus SC430 2001 to 2003Mercedes-Benz SL and SLK 2014Nissan N16 Pulsar 2000 to 2006Nissan D22 Navara 1997 to 2004Nissan Y61 Patrol 1997 to 2010Nissan T30 X-TRAIL 2001 to 2007Nissan A33 Maxima 1999 to 2003Subaru Impreza 2004 to 2007Toyota Echo 2003 to 2005Toyota RAV4 2003 to 2005Toyota Corolla 2003 to 2007Toyota Yaris 2005 to 2007Toyota Avensis 2003 to 2007reca

Japanese company Takata, which manufactures 20 per cent of the car industry’s airbags, has finally admitted to a US hearing overnight that the number of faulty airbags is much greater than it originally forecast.The number of affected vehicles has now climbed to a staggering 53 million worldwide, including 34 million in the US alone.The car brands that are affected include Toyota, Honda, Mazda, Nissan, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.So far, at least 556,000 cars have been recalled in Australia to have their Takata airbags replaced, but that figure is set to rise following the developments in the US which has dramatically expanded the number of affected vehicles.At least six overseas deaths have so far been linked to the faulty airbags which can spray metal shards if the airbag detonator has been exposed to moisture due to a fault in the manufacturing process.Until now Takata had claimed there was no fault, or that the problems had been fixed in its manufacturing process.But as recently as November 2014, Takata was accused of destroying evidence of internal testing of potentially faulty airbags.The recall is so massive not all car companies have been able to calculate which models are affectedThe Takata turnaround comes as authorities in the US are now trying to remove airbags from cars in junkyards so that the potentially faulty airbags don't end up being fitted to another, roadworthy car.Despite the horrific consequences, US and Australian authorities have so far refused to ground the potentially affected cars.The recall is so massive not all car companies have been able to calculate which models are affected, and some have admitted the replacement airbags won't be fitted until next year, because they can't be built fast enough."Replacement parts are presently being prepared and, due to the number of vehicles impacted globally, it is anticipated that sufficient parts will be available to commence recall repairs by early next year," said Toyota's media statement.Toyota, the world's largest car maker, last week recalled a further 5 million cars globally, including 181,000 in Australia, bringing the number of locally-affected Takata airbag-equipped Toyotas to 207,000.Honda Australia has also expanded its recall to include 109,000 cars with potentially faulty passenger airbags and 22,000 cars with potentially faulty driver airbags. It brings the total number of Hondas recalled in Australia with Takata airbags to 188,000.Honda Australia says it has not been advised from Japan if the latest Takata developments will lead to a further increase in the number of vehicles recalled.Nissan Australia has now recalled a total of 156,000 cars equipped with Takata airbags, and also says it is yet to receive information on further recalls.US company Chrysler has recalled 4500 examples of its 300C sedan made in 2006 and 2007.The car industry will struggle to contact owners of the affected vehicles because most cars are no longer with the original buyersThe Takata airbag recalls are due to the potential that, depending on the vehicle, either the driver's or passenger's airbag inflators may be susceptible to moisture intrusion over time."If this happens, this could potentially make the inflator assembly prone to rupture during an accident, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant," said the Toyota media statement.To date, all of the car brands involved in the international recalls so there have been no incidents, injuries or deaths reported in Australia.However, adding to the recall drama, the car industry will struggle to contact owners of the affected vehicles because most cars are no longer with the original buyers, given that they are typically made between 2003 and 2007 and now on the used-car market.Motorists concerned they may be driving an affected car have been advised to search the recalls.gov.au website and check if their particular make and model is being recalled.However, since this article was published the recalls.gov.au website has been overwhelmed by web traffic and numerous users have reported that the site was unable to be opened. The full list of cars we know are affected are listed below. Even though it is part of General Motors, Holden says its Australian-delivered vehicles are not affected.Ford says it is yet to be notified of any recall action following the new, broader scope of the overseas Takata recall campaign.News Corp Australia was waiting on feedback from Mazda, BMW and Mercedes-Benz as this article was published, to find out how many -- if any -- cars are affected locally.Chrysler 300C sedan 2006 to 2007Honda Jazz 2004 to 2009Honda Accord Euro 2004 to 2007Honda CR-V 2002 to 2008Honda Civic 2004 to 2005Nissan N16 PulsarNissan D22 NavaraNissan Y61 PatrolNissan T30 X-TRAILNissan A33 MaximaToyota Echo 2003 to 2005Toyota RAV4 2003 to 2005Toyota Corolla 2003 to 2007Toyota Yaris 2005 to 2007Toyota Avensis 2003 to 2007

Toyota Australia has recalled more than 180,000 vehicles over fears that faulty airbags could spray shrapnel when deployed.

Holden is recalling more than 26,000 examples of its Colorado ute and family SUV -- almost every one sold in the past 18 months -- because they may catch fire.Holden issued a “stop delivery” notice to dealers and is urging Colorado owners to bring their cars in for rectification work after five customers experienced “thermal incidents”.The models affected were made between September 2013 and January 2015.The latest safety bulletin makes Holden the most recalled car brand so far this year; last year Holden had the equal highest number of recalls with Jeep, with each issuing a record 14 notices.According to the Federal Government’s recalls website, “there is a risk that (a) cable insulation may melt or catch fire, which may pose a risk of injury to the vehicle occupants and other road users”.A statement from Holden said an alternator cable “may have been assembled so it makes contact with a steel bracket on the battery tray”. The latest safety bulletin makes Holden the most recalled car brand so far this yearUnder certain driving conditions, Holden says, movement of the engine may cause the cable to rub through the insulation.“This may cause a short circuit. If the short circuit creates sufficient heat, there is a risk that the cable insulation may melt or potentially catch fire,” the Holden statement said.Holden says drivers of affected may notice a battery warning light on the instrument cluster or “in more serious cases a small amount of smoke may be emitted from the engine bay area”.The safety alert for the Thailand-made Colorado ute is the fifth Holden recall so far this year.Earlier this month Holden issued a recall for the Korean-made Captiva family SUV because certain models could lurch forward if the key was left in the ignition.Jeep and Nissan have issued four recalls so far this year while Honda, Hyundai, Mazda and Suzuki have issued three recalls each so far this year.Market leader Toyota has only issued two recalls so far this year.

Holden is recalling almost 3000 of its Captiva family SUVs because the car could lurch forward by itself if the keys are left in the ignition of certain models.The car maker is attempting to contact 2951 owners of Captiva 5 and Captiva 7 vehicles made between 22 February 2007 and 25 November 2010.The engine may crank over and the car may move forward half a metre or soThe recall affects only models with manual transmission, the bulletin says."If the key is left in the ignition and the car is still in gear … there is a chance the engine can crank and cause the car to lurch forward," said Holden spokeswoman Kate Lonsdale."The car won't drive off but the engine may crank over and the car may move forward half a metre or so."Holden says it has had seven reported incidents in Australia but no accidents and injuries occurred as a result of the fault.The recall is similar to one on the Holden Barina and Trax models late last year where a faulty ignition led to the same fault.However, the Captiva was not recalled at the same time because the faulty part was made by a different supplier.Holden says the latest ignition recall issue in Australia is unrelated to recalls in the US last year for ignition faults that affected more than 2.6 million vehicles and was linked to 84 deaths.Holden has had three recalls so far this year, the same number as Jeep.Last year both Holden and Jeep set a new record with 14 recalls each in a calendar year.

In the US, more than 64,000 Chevrolet Volt electric cars are being recalled, which is expected to prompt a recall of more than 200 Holden versions next week.

The Federal Government's recall website has urged drivers of certain Ford Falcons and Territorys to not adjust their steering wheel in case it causes the engine to shut down.

More than 1.1 million cars have been called back to dealers for rectification work that varies from serious (a brake failure) to silly (windscreen wipers).And although 2014 is likely to be the first big sales dip since the Global Financial Crisis, the number of new car sold is also likely to top 1.1 million.The last time more cars were recalled than sold in a year was 2001.It's been a bad year for recalls globally too.General Motors has recalled 2.59 million cars because of an ignition fault so far linked to at least 30 deaths, as part of a recall of 13.8 million cars this year for other ignition problems or keys slipping out of position.But the biggest of all is the Takata airbag recall which has so far been linked to six deaths after shrapnel fired from the airbags.It's a big problem because Takata supplies 20 per cent of the world's airbags and it has taken in cars made by Honda, Toyota, Mazda, BMW, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, Chrysler, Ford and General Motors.More than 18 million cars around the world have been recalled for the Takata airbag problem including 110,000 in Australia.Meantime the dubious honour of most recalls this year is a dead heat between Holden and Jeep with a record 14 each. Never before has any brand recalled so many cars in one year.Market leader Toyota was next with nine recalls ahead of Mitsubishi 8, Nissan 6, Ford 4, Volkswagen 4, Hyundai 3, Mazda 3, Land Rover 3 and Peugeot with 2.Then again the year isn't quite over yet. There may be more.

Some car brands are more open than others; some owners are in the dark. Australia is on track to post a record number of vehicle recalls this year. It has already eclipsed a 10-year high.In 2004, about 776,000 cars were recalled - so far this year, the figure is more than 800,000 and looks certain to surpass the 855,000 in 2001.So are cars becoming less reliable or are manufacturers more concerned about being sued for negligence, and so being more open about problems with their vehicles?The answer to both questions is yes.As car companies drive down costs, they outsource more parts that can be bought more cheaply due to global economies of scale.For example Japanese company Takata makes airbags for most leading car brands. But when something goes wrong, it's monumental.There is currently a global recall of 16 million cars from nine brands - including about 100,000 in Australia - because Takata airbags could inflate with excessive force and potentially spray shrapnel at occupants. So far, the fault has been linked to at least four deaths in the US.General Motors, meanwhile, recalled 2.6 million cars in North America because of a faulty ignition switch that could turn off the engine and disable the airbags. So far the fault has been linked to at least 27 deaths in the US, according to Reuters.US authorities found General Motors executives hid the fault for almost 10 years. Senior staff involved in the scandal have since been sacked.Recalls are in the spotlight in Australia because Holden - possibly spurred by the investigation into the parent company's handling of the ignition switch recall - has been more open than it might have been in the past. Holden's 13 recalls so far this year is more than any other car brand in a calendar year and more than half of these relate to Australian-made cars.Would you rather buy a car from a company that is more open about its faults and more likely to fix them quickly?The next highest on the local list are Jeep (nine recalls) and Toyota (seven). Some Holden recalls, such as a faulty windscreen wiper, may seem overcautious. Some, however, are disturbing.One of the latest recalls was issued because manual transmission versions of the Holden Trax compact SUV and Barina small car can unintentionally 'bunny hop' and then stall if the driver bumps the key when it is in the ignition - even in the off position.Authorities argue that safety is safety, though the definition of 'safety' is open to interpretation. Despite the tough wording, recalls in Australia are still voluntary.This is why some brands don't issue a recall and instead divert the repair work to a 'dealer service campaign'.For example, Hyundai Australia last year voluntarily called 227,000 cars to dealerships to replace a faulty brake light switch in eight models, representing most of its range. News Corp Australia exclusively unearthed the fault the year before.But the company stopped short of calling it a safety recall because the Federal Department of Transport advised the consumer watchdog that the brake light switch fault was "not a safety issue".Hyundai has previously shown a reluctance to recall.In November 1998 it refused to recall 46,000 examples of the Excel even though several were found to have a welding defect that could lead to the collapse of the front suspension.In words eerily similar to the brake light issue, Hyundai claimed at the time it was "not a safety issue".An NRMA technical report said of the Excel's suspension: "In extreme cases the right front wheel and drive shaft can become detached and jam the wheel in the housing." The Federal Government threatened to issue a compulsory recall - which it had never done - if Hyundai did not take action. Despite the seriousness of the fault, and the tough talk from government, Hyundai issued a dealer service campaign.Holden may be more transparent now but it too has recently avoided at least one serious recall. It insists there is no local recall required for a faulty ignition switch despite 46,000 export versions of the Australian-made Commodore and Caprice being recalled in the US earlier this month. In doing so Holden has avoided what would become the biggest recall in Australian automotive history as it would involve approximately 432,000 Commodores made since 2006.Holden engineers insist the GM ignition fault in the US does not affect Commodores in Australia because the position of the key is different.The risk of faults increases as cars become more complex and incorporate more parts from outside suppliers. Furthermore, the handling of recalls differs from brand to brand.Would you rather buy a car from a company that is more open about its faults and more likely to fix them quickly?The alternative is to hope for repair work under the guise of a 'dealer service campaign' - but that is contingent on taking the car back to the selling dealer rather than an independent mechanic.Federal authorities need to provide a clearer definition of what constitutes a safety recall to make the response more consistent across all brands.For now, some car brands are more open than others in this respect and some car owners are none the wiser.