Serious airbag safety risk detected in thousands of Honda and Mitsubishi vehicles: Here’s what you need to know
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Members, take note!
Recalls have been issued for ‘thousands’ of Honda and Mitsubishi vehicles over a potentially 'deadly' airbag safety issue. Read on to find out how this may affect you.
Honda and Mitsubishi have commenced voluntary recalls for vehicles made between 1997 and 2000 due to a safety concern relating to faulty airbags.
‘These vehicles may have been fitted with “potentially deadly” Takata NADI 5-AT airbags,’ the ACCC said. In 2020, the consumer watchdog brought the same issue to the public’s attention.
It was reported that these airbags may ‘mis-deploy’ in an accident, which would cause metal fragments to propel out of the airbag at high speeds. This can result in serious injuries or death to the driver or other vehicle occupants.
In a separate notice issued by Mitsubishi Motors, they mentioned that the airbags are also at risk of under-inflating in a collision, and may not provide the expected level of protection for the vehicle occupants.
Additionally, the front driver’s airbag inflator could allow moisture to enter the unit and degrade the airbag propellant. If this happens, the performance of the propellant may be altered and may not ‘react as designed’ in the case of an accident. Owners of the following models are advised to stop driving their cars immediately and contact their manufacturer:
Honda Australia also mentioned that they offer free repairs for their impacted customers.
Mitsubishi Motors also urged customers to call them immediately to organise free urgent vehicle repairs. Mitsubishi car owners can check whether their vehicle is subject to a recall using the VIN checker on their website.
If you’re not comfortable driving your car for repair, you may also call your car dealer to make alternative arrangements.
‘We apologise for any inconvenience caused to you by this mandatory safety recall, which is taken in the interest of the affected vehicle occupant’s safety,’ Mitsubishi Motors said in their statement.
A few weeks ago, the Federal Government also issued a recall for 2020-2022 models of the MQ4 KIA Sorento vehicles, and Honda CR-V and Civic. The KIA vehicles were recalled due to production issues, where the car’s electric oil pump had the potential to fail and the vehicle could lose its drive power, break down, and increase the risk of a collision.
The Honda vehicles with car models between 2021 and 2022 were recalled due to an issue with the window tint, which was believed to have been applied incorrectly. This resulted in reduced visibility and increased the risk of a collision. More details about these recalls can be found here.
Hyundai was also in the spotlight recently after it was announced that thousands of vehicles were affected by a ‘gearbox software fault’ that could cut engine power while driving, increasing the risk of a car crash.
You might be thinking, ‘That’s a lot of recalls!’ Well, you’re not the only one. A class action lawsuit was filed by a law firm against car manufacturers Hyundai and KIA over the serious defect involving their Anti-Lock Braking Systems. These defective brakes mean that the engine’s compartment could have an increased risk of catching fire – even when the vehicle is parked and turned off. You can read more about that story here.
Contact Mitsubishi Motors here and Honda here for assistance. Stay safe out there, folks!
Recalls have been issued for ‘thousands’ of Honda and Mitsubishi vehicles over a potentially 'deadly' airbag safety issue. Read on to find out how this may affect you.
Honda and Mitsubishi have commenced voluntary recalls for vehicles made between 1997 and 2000 due to a safety concern relating to faulty airbags.
‘These vehicles may have been fitted with “potentially deadly” Takata NADI 5-AT airbags,’ the ACCC said. In 2020, the consumer watchdog brought the same issue to the public’s attention.
The airbags have a high chance of injuring vehicle occupants. Credit: Asm Arif/Pexels
It was reported that these airbags may ‘mis-deploy’ in an accident, which would cause metal fragments to propel out of the airbag at high speeds. This can result in serious injuries or death to the driver or other vehicle occupants.
In a separate notice issued by Mitsubishi Motors, they mentioned that the airbags are also at risk of under-inflating in a collision, and may not provide the expected level of protection for the vehicle occupants.
Additionally, the front driver’s airbag inflator could allow moisture to enter the unit and degrade the airbag propellant. If this happens, the performance of the propellant may be altered and may not ‘react as designed’ in the case of an accident. Owners of the following models are advised to stop driving their cars immediately and contact their manufacturer:
- Honda Legend, CR-V, and Accord, with model years between 1998 and 2000;
- Mitsubishi NL Pajero, CE Lancer, WA Express, CE Mirage, and WA Starwagon, with model years between 1997 to 2000.
Honda Australia also mentioned that they offer free repairs for their impacted customers.
Honda said they will provide free repairs to affected models. Credit: Lantip/Pexels
Mitsubishi Motors also urged customers to call them immediately to organise free urgent vehicle repairs. Mitsubishi car owners can check whether their vehicle is subject to a recall using the VIN checker on their website.
If you’re not comfortable driving your car for repair, you may also call your car dealer to make alternative arrangements.
An infographic showing the risks of the Takata NADI 5-AT Airbags. Credit: The Seniors Discount Club
‘We apologise for any inconvenience caused to you by this mandatory safety recall, which is taken in the interest of the affected vehicle occupant’s safety,’ Mitsubishi Motors said in their statement.
A few weeks ago, the Federal Government also issued a recall for 2020-2022 models of the MQ4 KIA Sorento vehicles, and Honda CR-V and Civic. The KIA vehicles were recalled due to production issues, where the car’s electric oil pump had the potential to fail and the vehicle could lose its drive power, break down, and increase the risk of a collision.
The Honda vehicles with car models between 2021 and 2022 were recalled due to an issue with the window tint, which was believed to have been applied incorrectly. This resulted in reduced visibility and increased the risk of a collision. More details about these recalls can be found here.
Hyundai was also in the spotlight recently after it was announced that thousands of vehicles were affected by a ‘gearbox software fault’ that could cut engine power while driving, increasing the risk of a car crash.
You might be thinking, ‘That’s a lot of recalls!’ Well, you’re not the only one. A class action lawsuit was filed by a law firm against car manufacturers Hyundai and KIA over the serious defect involving their Anti-Lock Braking Systems. These defective brakes mean that the engine’s compartment could have an increased risk of catching fire – even when the vehicle is parked and turned off. You can read more about that story here.
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