Australia orders recall of 2.3 mln vehicles with Takata air bags (updated)
27/02/2018 23:35
(Adds details, quotes from government minister)
SYDNEY, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Australia has ordered the recall
of 2.3 million vehicles fitted with Takata Corp TKTDQ.PK air
bags that have been linked to deaths worldwide, in the country's
biggest compulsory product recall.
The manufacturers of the vehicles will have to pay for the
replacement air bags, that have been linked to at least 18
deaths and 180 injuries globally because the inflators can
rupture and shoot metal fragments into vehicles. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N1NE7AT
The air bags must be replaced by Dec. 31, 2020 or the
manufacturers will face fines of A$1.1 million ($857,000) per
breach of the order, said Michael Sukkar, assistant minister to
the treasurer.
"Tragically there's been one death and one case of serious
injury in Australia as a result of the deployment of these air
bags, and the government just doesn't want to see any more,"
Sukkar told reporters in Canberra, Australia's capital.
Affected vehicles include those made by Toyota 7203.T ,
Mazda 7261.T , Ford F.N , Volkswagen VOWG_p.DE , Honda
7267.T , BMW BMWG.DE , Mitsubishi 7211.T , Nissan 7201.T
and Subaru 9778.T .
Last week, Takata Corp's U.S. unit agreed to settle a probe
by 44 state attorneys general into accusations it concealed a
deadly safety defect with air bag inflators. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL2N1QC1KA
In the biggest bankruptcy of a Japanese manufacturer, Takata
sought court protection from creditors in June as costs and
liabilities mounted from almost a decade of recalls and
lawsuits.
Australia's compulsory recall follows last year's
government-ordered voluntary recall, which Sukkar said had been
insufficient, with less than half of drivers complying with the
request. urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL3N1KE0AU
($1 = 1.2840 Australian dollars)
(Reporting by Wayne Cole and Colin Packham in SYDNEY; editing
by Richard Pullin)
((Wayne.Cole@thomsonreuters.com; 612 9321 8162; Reuters
Messaging: wayne.cole.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: AUSTRALIA TAKATA/RECALL