Registration to be refused for cars with defective airbags

Wednesday, 9 June 2021

To ensure the safety of all road users, all vehicles registered in South Australia subject to a Takata airbag compulsory recall administered by the ACCC will be refused registration.

The defective airbags are highly dangerous and can mis-deploy, resulting in death or serious injury.

If your vehicle is subject to a Takata airbag compulsory recall, do not drive the vehicle. Contact your vehicle manufacturer immediately to have the airbag replaced.

Affected owners should have already received notification from the vehicle manufacturer that the vehicle is under active recall for urgent repair, under the compulsory recall notice administered by the ACCC.

The replacement airbag inflator is free. For defective vehicles the vehicle manufacturer must offer to arrange for your vehicle to be towed or send out a qualified technician so the owner does not have to drive it to the place of repair to be rectified.

Vehicle owners will be notified if their vehicle is identified as fitted with a defective Takata airbag inflator. One calendar month will be given to provide evidence that the defective airbag on the vehicle has been replaced. The responsibility is on the registered vehicle owner to provide this evidence.

If no response is received after the specified timeframe, a Safety Recall Incident will be placed against the vehicle’s record. This incident flag will prevent the vehicle’s registration from being renewed until evidence is produced showing the airbag has been rectified.

Under no circumstances will the Safety Recall Incident be lifted, unless suitable evidence is provided confirming a defective airbag has been replaced.

You can check if your vehicle is affected immediately via the website www.ismyairbagsafe.com.au or text the word ‘Takata’ to 0487 AIRBAG (0487 247 224).

For further information about the recall, visit www.productsafety.gov.au