With a massive car recall underway, owners of some Honda, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Mazda and Lexus cars sold between 2001 and 2004 (and there’s about 50,000 of them) should know their vehicles pose the “most severe risk”.
If you haven’t already heard, the largest car recall in Australian automotive history is underway – an estimated 2.7 million cars are affected, and more models are expected to be added to the list in April.
The recall is the result of a faulty Takata airbag, which has already been responsible for at least one death in Australia – during a collision, the airbag fired a metal object into the 58-year-old man’s neck in Sydney in July last year.
But some model cars are more dangerous than others.
From the Australian Competition And Consumer Commission:
“Consumers need to take immediate steps to have their airbags replaced if their car has a Takata ‘alpha’ airbag installed. Alpha bags are a higher risk subset of the Takata bags being recalled.
“The higher risk alpha airbags were installed in certain Honda, Toyota, Nissan, BMW, Mazda and Lexus cars, with models sold between 2001 and 2004.
“It is critical that owners of cars with alpha airbags installed take immediate steps to have the airbags replaced because of the significant risk of injury or death involved in using cars with these airbags. All other consumers whose vehicles are on the full recall list are urged to arrange for the replacement of Takata airbags in their vehicles as soon as possible due to the safety risks involved in the use of these vehicles.
“The ACCC believes that the Takata alpha airbags have a manufacturing flaw, as they were not produced according to design standards and do not deploy as intended. These airbags pose the most severe risk of misdeployment and have a substantially higher risk of incident rate according to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). There is a risk of metal fragments and shrapnel propelling out of the airbag and into vehicle occupants causing serious injuries or deaths.”
Vehicles currently under recall are listed below and at this link. Vehicles with an Alpha airbag are listed in bold. Additional vehicles and their recall details will be added to the list by April 2018.
You should contact your nearest dealer of your model vehicle to arrange the recall. You cannot be charged for the service, and yes, if you have to leave your vehicle with them for more than 24 hours, you are entitled to a car hire for the period your vehicle is not accessible.
BMW
Make & model Year Range PRA No.
| BMW 3 Series E46 ALPHA | 12/2001 – 03/2003 | 2013/13576 |
| BMW 3 Series E46 | 9/1999 – 8/2006 | 2013/13576 |
| BMW 5 Series E39, 3 Series E46, X5 E53 | 2002-2005 | 2016/15581 |
| BMW 5 series E39, 3 Series E46, X5 E53 | 2000-2004 | 2017/15881 |
| BMW E70 X5, E71 X6 | 2007-2012 | 2017/16230 |
| BMW E70 X5, E71 X6 | 2007-2012 | 2017/16298 |
| BMW E70 X5 & E71 X6 | 2013 | 2018/16566 |
Chrysler
| Chrysler 300(LE/LX) | 2005-2012 | 2016/15516 |
| Chrysler 300, 300C | 2005-2010 | 2015/14742 |
| Chrysler 300, 300C | 2013 | 2018/16617 |
Dodge
| Dodge RAM | 2004-2010 | 2016/15516 |
Ferrari
| Ferrari 458, California, FF | 2008-2011 | 2016/15430 |
Ford
| Ford Mustang | 2006-2014 | 2015/14924 |
Honda
| Honda Accord, CR-V ALPHA | 2001-2002 | 2009/10969 |
| Honda Civic ALPHA | 2001 | 2010/11785 |
| Honda Accord ALPHA | 2001-2002 | 2011/12633 |
| Honda Civic, Accord, Accord Euro, CR-V, Jazz, MDX ALPHA | 2001-2003 | 2013/13549 |
| Honda Jazz ALPHA | 2004 | 2014/14438 |
| Honda Accord Euro, Civic Hybrid, CR-V, Civic, Jazz | 2003-2004 | 2014/14498 |
| Honda Accord Euro, CR-V, Civic, Jazz, City | 2002-2009 | 2015/14703 |
| Honda Jazz, CR-V | 2005-2007 | 2015/14702 |
| Honda MDX, Accord | 2001-2007 | 2015/14737 |
| Honda City, CR-V, Insight, Jazz, Jazz Hybrid | 2006-2012 | 2015/14819 |
| Honda City, CR-V, Insight, Jazz, Jazz Hybrid | 2011-2014 | 2016/15197 |
| Honda Civic, Legend, Jazz Hybrid | 2006-2012 | 2016/15198 |
| Honda Accord Euro, City, CR-V, Jazz, Insight | 2007-2011 | 2016/15496 |
| Honda Legend, Odyssey, Accord, MDX | 2003-2011 | 2016/15495 |
| Honda Civic, Accord | 2006-2011 | 2016/15494 |
| Honda Accord Euro, City, Jazz & Insight | 2012 | 2017/15856 |
| Honda Legend | 2012 | 2017/15857 |
| Honda Accord | 2012 | 2017/15859 |
| Honda Civic | 2001 | 2017/15860 |
| Honda Jazz, Jazz Hybrid, Insight and Accord Euro | 2013 | 2018/16523 |
Jeep
| Jeep Wrangler JK | 2007-2012 | 2016/15516 |
| Jeep Wrangler | 2013 | 2018/16617 |
Lexus
| Lexus SC430 | 2000-2003 | 2013/13545 |
| Lexus IS 250, IS 250C, 350, IS F | 2005-2011 | 2016/15425 |
| Lexus IS 250, IS 350, IS 250C, IS-F, LFA | 2011-2012 | 2017/15846 |
| Lexus IS250, IS250C, IS350 & IS-F | 2013 | 2018/16536 |
Mazda
| Mazda2 (DE) | 2010 | 2016/15522 |
| Mazda2 | 2007-2015 | 2016/15521 |
| Mazda RX-8 | 2008-2012 | 2016/15521 |
| Mazda6, BT-50 | 2005-2011 | 2015/14761 |
| Mazda6, RX-8 ALPHA | 2002-2007 | 2015/14761 |
| Mazda B2500 & B2600 | 2002-2011 | 2015/14760 |
| Mazda6, CX-7 & CX-9 | 2006-2012 | 2017/16232 |
Mitsubishi
| Mitsubishi GA & GB i-MiEV | 2010-2011 | 2017/15990 |
| Mitsubishi Lancer | 2003-2008 | 2015/14936 |
| Mitsubishi ML & MN Triton | 2007-2014 | 2016/15523 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero NS, NT, NW, NX | 2007-2016 | 2016/15617 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero NS & NT | 2006-2009 | 2017/15991 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero NT & NW | 2010-2012 | 2017/16025 |
| Mitsubishi Pajero NW & NX | 2013-2017 | 2017/16465 |
Nissan
| Nissan N16 Pulsar, Y61 Patrol | 2001 | 2010/11761 |
| Nissan N16 Pulsar, Y61 Patrol | 2001 | 2017/15940 |
| Nissan N16 Pulsar, Y61 Patrol, D22 Navara, T30 X-Trail ALPHA | 2000-2004 | 2013/13542 |
| Nissan N16 Pulsar, D22 Navara, Y61 Patrol, T30 X-Trail, A33 maxima ALPHA | 2001-2003 | 2014/14182 |
| Nissan N16 Pulsar, D22 Navara, Y61 Patrol, T30 X-Trail, J31 maxima | 2003 | 2015/14751 |
| Nissan N16 Pulsar, D22 Navara, Y61 Patrol, T30 X-Trail, J31 maxima | 2004-2007 | 2015/14752 |
| Nissan D22 Navara, T30 X-Trail, J31 Maxima, Y61 Patrol | 2007-2008 | 2015/14821 |
| Nissan D22 Navara, Y61 Patrol | 2009-2012 | 2016/15769 |
| Nissan D40 Navara | 2008-2014 | 2016/15228 |
| Nissan D40 Navara | 2006-2015 | 2017/16363 |
| Nissan Tiida | 2006-2012 | 2016/15383 |
| Nissan C11 Tiida | 2006-2012 | 2017/16363 |
Peformax
| Peformax Silverado, Sierra, Mustang | 2007-2008 | 2015/14789 |
Subaru
| Subaru Impreza | 2004-2007 | 2015/14715 |
| Subaru Tribeca, Liberty, Outback | 2004-2013 | 2016/15507 |
| Subaru Impreza, Forester | 2008-2013 | 2016/15766 |
| Subaru Exiga | 2010-2014 | 2017/16012 |
| Subaru Liberty & Outback | 2010-2014 | 2017/16013 |
Toyota
| Toyota Corolla, Avensis Verso, Lexus SC430 ALPHA | 2000-2004 | 2013/13544 |
| Toyota Echo, Rav 4 ALPHA | 2002-2003 | 2014/14456 |
| Toyota Echo, Rav 4 | 2003-2005 | 2015/14700 |
| Toyota Corolla, Avensis Verso, Yaris | 2003-2007 | 2015/14701 |
| Toyota Avensis Verso, Yaris | 2007-2008 | 2015/14794 |
| Toyota Corolla, Yaris, Avensis Verso | 2006-2011 | 2016/15709 |
| Toyota Corolla | 2003-2005 | 2017/15950 |
| Toyota Corolla, Yaris & Rukus | 2010-2012 | 2017/16010 |
| Toyota Echo, Rav 4 | 2002-2003 | 2017/16014 |
MOTORCYCLES
Make & model Year Range PRA No.
| American Honda Motor GL1800 | 2008-2010 | 2016/15440 |
| Honda GL1800 Goldwing | 2012 | 2017/15906 |
| Honda GL1800 Goldwing | 2013-2015 | 2017/16522 |
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