The Takata airbag saga continues on as another spate of recalls take place, this time in Japan. A number of Japanese automakers have issued a recall for around 1.3 million cars domestically, but some are planning more recalls overseas, adding more than a million additional cars to the list, Automotive News reports.
Under pressure from the US government, parts supplier Takata agreed to declare more of its airbags as defective in America last month. Following this, Japan’s transport ministry has ordered more airbags to be recalled on the domestic front.
Mazda said it was set to recall about 1.57 million vehicles worldwide, including 490,000 vehicles in Japan. The automaker said affected models include the Demio (Mazda 2 in overseas markets), RX-8 and Bongo van. It added that the driver airbag will be replaced in the vans, while the rest will involve the replacement of the passenger airbag. Mazda said that overseas recall will involve the Mazda 2, with markets including the US and China, but didn’t specify any further details.
Mitsubishi, meanwhile, says it will be recalling around 520,000 cars. Models involved in the exercise include the Delica and Pajero, some produced as recently as this year. For these, the replacement will involve the driver-side airbag. It added that around 92,000 affected Delicas and Pajeros had been exported overseas, and will be recalled at a later date. The eK Wagon, eK Sport, Pajero Mini and Toppo, meanwhile, will get their passenger airbag replaced.
Elsewhere, Subaru issued a recall for 290,000 vehicles in Japan to replace the passenger airbag in the Legacy sedan. Not all the recalled vehicles were from Japanese automakers. Mercedes-Benz sent out a recall for about 93,000 cars, and affected models include the C-Class and E-Class, the report indicated.
On the Malaysian front, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia (MBM) says that to date, no local cars are affected. With regards to Japan-sourced grey imports, the company says that it doesn’t have an online VIN checker, so the only way to know if a particular vehicle is affected is for owners to send their cars in to an MBM service centre to check.
The company added that if the car is affected by the recall, and the owner brings it to an MBM service centre, MBM will replace the necessary parts.
In Malaysia, check our Takata airbag story to see if your car is involved in airbag-related recalls.
Looking to sell your car? Sell it with Carro.
At least overseas, the Governments are independent from the car manufacturers. So, car manufacturers are super scared of their Governments who will take action on them if they don’t do the recalls. Good example in Toyota and VW in US. See how the Government came down hard on them despite VW and Toyota being super giants.
In Malaysia, Government dare not force car manufacturers to do recalls. This is because recalls are costly. And since our Malaysian Government practically owns DIRECTLY or INDIRECTLY all car companies in Malaysia, they don’t want their “profits” to be affected.
Why only recall? Why not arrest people like LGE? Then set RM1 Million bail so that the Gov profit?
Our Government, even girl died horrifyingly in the Honda City airbag incident also has not open an investigation.
Why?
Because, their own DRB Hicom, which indirectly owns Honda Malaysia will have to incur further costs on testing and recalls
One question; how about reconditioned cars from Japan, aka JDM import cars that were also affected by the recall? In Malaysia, how and where should owners of these cars go to to get their airbag inflators replaced? Via the official service centers or thru the import dealers’ service center?
Would the official service center entertain their request to replace the inflator given that their cars was not purchased thru their sales network? Or should they go to specialized workshop to replace them and then how about the cost of replacing them?
Maybe paultan.org can get more information on this because Malaysia have a lot of reconditioned cars from Japan. and majority of them have Takata-made airbag inflators.
The price of getting cheaper semi-luxury and luxury vehicles…
So to bashers here screaming and foaming at the mouths railing against Gov to take action; have Nippon overlord authorities arrested anyone yet over this kirrer bags?
What about toyota recond car such as estima, alphard or vellfire? How do I check the airbag? Is it to bring it to UMW toyota?
UMW salesman Albert says: Lu tak beli dari aku, apa kesah ku?
instead saying “padan muka’ MBM welcome grey imported owner.
Nice move, Benz. Toyata, what do you said (grey imported models)?
question is, will Merc Malaysia do it FOC (maybe charge labor), or will they charge 300% price for both parts & labor as a punishment for owners for not buying from Merc Malaysia?
Very annoyed with Honda. Their public statements are misleading and the authorities should take them to task. My brother and his wife both drive Hondas -Accord n City, and both told no stock and they are on a waiting list. What are they supposed to do in the meantime?
Be equally annoyed with Toyota and Mitsubishi and Subaru,Nissan. Not a word from them. My dad’s Vios has a Takata due for recall and not one word from Toyota about it.
if it was p1, the comments will reach 9000
I had the same issue when i show them the recall letter the service center said airbags out of stock. However good thing is i only had to wait a month for the appointment to change airbags and although the letter only stated driver airbag recall they changed both driver and passenger airbag.