Volkswagen Group Australia unveils action roll-out as FCAI launches website
Volkswagen’s Transporter van is one of the manufacturer’s first models to face a mandatory recall as concern at Takata airbag risks turns to more action.
Volkswagen Group Australia says Transporter vehicles of model years 2007-2015 installed with driver side Takata airbag inflators are affected, as are Polo AO4s of the same vintage.
For Škoda, vehicles involved include Yeti, Octavia, Kodiaq, Superb, Rapid and Fabia vehicles of model years 2013-2018.
The mandatory safety recall, which was issued by the Australian Government earlier this year, requires that all affected Takata frontal airbags in Australia be replaced by December 31, 2020.
“Anyone wishing to determine whether their vehicle is affected by the mandatory safety recall and, if so, the specific date from which their vehicle will be recalled, can use the VIN checkers available on the Volkswagen and Škoda websites,” VW says.
“The websites also contains Volkswagen’s and Škoda ‘s respective approved Recall Initiation Schedules, which each outline more generally when each make, model and model year of affected Volkswagen and Škoda vehicles is scheduled to be recalled.”
The recall advice comes as the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI) chief executive Tony Weber launched an automotive industry-backed website and a national advertising campaign.
The campaign aims to drive vehicle owners to the site to check their number plate against the database of affected vehicles.
Replacement of the affected airbag inflator is free.
See how the Takata issue has affected some truck brands here
Weber highlighted the critical need to replace ‘alpha’-type airbag inflators, which are a subset of faulty Takata airbag inflators that pose the greatest safety risk to vehicle occupants. The ‘alpha’ airbag inflators were installed in certain BMW, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Nissan and Toyota models sold between 2001 and 2004 but VW says none went into its vehicles.
Official advice is that as a faulty Takata airbag ages and/or is exposed to high temperatures and humidity, the PSAN propellant is exposed to moisture and degrades.
If a vehicle is involved in a collision, the airbag can go off with too much explosive force, rupturing the airbag inflator housing, causing sharp metal fragments to shoot out and kill or seriously injure people in the vehicle.
VW says that, according to the federal government, the risk of a defective Takata airbag rupturing may arise between six and 25 years after it is installed in a vehicle. In areas of high heat and humidity, the risk of rupture may arise between six and nine years.
“This is why, for vehicles such as the affected Volkswagen and Škoda vehicles that do not have Alpha airbags, the recall will be conducted in a staged process between now and the end of 2020 having regard to the age of the vehicle (oldest first) and location (areas with high humidity will be given priority), in accordance with the approved Recall Initiation Schedules published on the Volkswagen and Škoda websites,” it states.
Volkswagen owners can find their nearest dealer by visiting https://au.volkswagen.com.au/find-dealer/ and can obtain more information about the recall by visiting our Takata recall webpage: https://www.volkswagen.com.au/en/about-volkswagen/airbag-recall.html
Škoda owners can find their nearest dealer by visiting http://dealers.skoda-auto.com/959/en-AU and can obtain more information about the recall by visiting our Takata recall webpage:https://au.skoda.com.au/airbag-safety-recall/.
The FCAI website is https://www.ismyairbagsafe.com.au/.