The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission on Oct. 4 ordered an "urgent recall" of vehicles with defective Takata Corp. airbags.
Takata airbags have been the subject of massive recalls over the recent years after being linked to fatalities and injuries around the world.
Most recently, the Australian consumer watchdog listed 20,000 vehicles that have airbags classified as "critical" and "should not be driven." These include 1,843 Holden Cruze 2010 from General Motors Co.; 6,043 various models of Honda Motor Co. Ltd. cars; 7,909 Bayerische Motoren Werke AG series 5, series 3 and X5 vehicles; 3,254 model year 2007 to 2014 Mitsubishi Motors Corp. ML and MN Triton vehicles; and 582 2003-2005 Echo and Rav4 models from Toyota Motor Corp.
"Classification as 'critical' means manufacturers have assessed these airbags as being particularly unsafe. A Takata airbag misdeployment can result in death or serious injury, even in a minor collision," ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.
Drivers with the recalled airbags are entitled to a free replacement and a loan vehicle while the airbag is being replaced, Rickard added.
The ACCC said 425,971 vehicles are still to be rectified under the compulsory recall. More vehicles may be added to the critical category at any time, the regulator added.
It also noted that about 3.36 million airbags, or 82.4% of total Takata airbags supplied to automakers, have now been replaced in 2.41 million vehicles.
About 483,071 airbags in 425,971 vehicles subject to the recall have yet to be replaced.
