Nissan is now working with Lube Mobile and auto salvage operators to locate and recover recalled Takata airbags, helping to remove them from vehicles faster.
While Nissan is continually contacting owners whose cars include recalled Takata airbags – and is committed to replacing every last one – working with other organisations is designed to find the airbags quickly and work with Alpha airbag customers who are struggling to find a convenient time to book their car in for repairs.
As well as our vast Nissan dealer network, Lube Mobile, which has an Australia-wide fleet of mechanics that travel direct to the customer, has been tasked with replacing recalled Alpha airbags – the most dangerous type.
Working six days a week, Lube Mobile technicians and regional managers have been trained by Nissan and, on behalf of Nissan, are contacting customers with Alpha inflators and replacing them free of charge at their home or workplace.
In addition to this, given that every last recalled Takata airbag has to accounted for by the end of 2020, Nissan is also working with All Auto Recalls and the Auto Recyclers Association of Australia, whose responsibility is to recover recalled inflators from auto recycling and salvage businesses across the nation.
“Nissan, like everyone in the industry, is doing everything it can to contact owners and replace recalled Takata airbags,” said Nissan Australia managing director, Stephen Lester.
“Replacing every recalled airbag is critically important, but Alpha bags are the priority and Lube Mobile has the ability to go out directly to wherever the car is garaged, making it a fast and convenient procedure for the owner.
“But we also need to locate airbags in cars no longer on the road, which is the service that All Auto Recalls and the Auto Recyclers Association of Australia provide.
“Nissan is committed to replacing every airbag as soon as possible, but we also need owners to respond to our communications and book cars in.”
The Takata airbag recall was initiated by Takata Corporation in Japan after it was found that inflator components within the airbag could deteriorate and subsequently misdeploy in an incident, causing metal fragments to propel out of the airbag.
A global recall, in February 2018 the Australian Federal Government, in consultation with the ACCC, announced that it was now a compulsory recall, requiring all manufacturers to adhere to strict airbag replacement rules and regulations.
Since the start of July 2018, more than 300,000 letters, 150,000 emails and 150,000 text messages have been sent out to Nissan owners resulting in more than 80,000 airbags being replaced. However there are still currently more than 175,000 Nissan vehicles subject to active recalls nationally that have not been presented for repair.
In late July 2018 the automotive industry launched the “Don’t Die Wondering” campaign which directs car owners to the https://www.ismyairbagsafe.com.au/ website in a joint effort urging motorists to check the status of their airbags and book them in for repair.
Vehicle owners simply need to enter the registration of their vehicle and the State that it is registered in to immediately find out if their vehicle has recalled airbags fitted. Alternatively, they can text the word “Takata” to 0487 AIRBAG (0487 247 224) for further advice.
For more information on Nissan and the Takata recall go to: http://www.nissan.com.au/takata or contact your local Nissan Dealership to book your car in for a free of charge airbag replacement.
