2.3 million cars hit with compulsory recall in Australia
<p>The federal government is expected to issue a compulsory recall of 2.3 million cars in an effort to protect Aussie drivers from faulty airbags.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/australias-first-compulsory-car-recall-order-to-hit-millions-of-vehicles-today/news-story/cfbb964926b7e4ba099e64eed90655e7" target="_blank"><strong><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;">Herald Sun</span></em></strong></a>, the Turnbull government will announce the forced replacement today after 23 deaths (including one Sydney man last year) and more than 200 injuries worldwide due to defective Takata airbags, which have been found to explode unexpectedly and launch shards of metal upon deployment.</p>
<p>The recall proposal was first put forth in September <a href="http://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/insurance/2017/08/australians-could-have-deadly-airbags-in-their-cars/" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong>following an investigation</strong></span></a> by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, and today, Assistant Minister to the Treasurer Michael Sukkar is expected to finally make the recall announcement.</p>
<p>Ford, Holden and Volkswagen are among the affected manufacturers who will be forced to replace the airbags for free and as soon as possible – they will need to be replaced within two years of the recall. More than 100 million cars around the world are believed to be affected by the faulty airbags.</p>
<p>“This is a deadline problem that needs to be solved,” Ben Turner, a spokesman for the Royal Automobile Club of Queensland, <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/02/28/06/27/millions-of-australian-cars-hit-with-compulsory-takata-airbag-recall" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">told the <em>Today </em>show</span></strong></a>.</p>
<p>“It has been scandalous, and it has been an issue that has been going on for more than a decade across the automated industry.</p>
<p>“We’ve seen some manufacturers respond well and do the job and voluntarily call the motorists in to replace these airbags. But that’s why the ACCC and the government has had to step in because it has been inconsistent and other manufacturers have essentially hoped the problem would go away.”</p>
<p>Turner urges drivers who have already received recall notices to have their airbags replaced as soon as possible, and for those unsure whether or not they’ve been affected, you can <a href="https://www.productsafety.gov.au/" target="_blank"><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline;">visit the ACCC website here</span></strong></a> to see a list of recalled makes and models.</p>
