AT least five car makers in Australia have recalled their vehicles over dangerous airbags, only to refit them with the same faulty product, an investigation by consumer group Choice has found.
The manufacturers are among 14 affected in Australia by a worldwide recall of Takata airbags, which have now killed 18 people and injured more than 180 worldwide. The death of a man in Sydney last week was also likely caused by the faulty airbag.
The airbags have the potential to explode and send metal shrapnel and other material into the cabin of a vehicle, because the gas used to inflate the bag can become volatile over time.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission has launched a further investigation into how the recall has been handled, "urgently seeking" information from the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development, which is monitoring the recall.
Since April Choice has repeatedly contacted the 14 manufacturers subject to the recall to confirm if they were refitting vehicles with the same dangerous airbags, and would therefore require a second recall.
"Although Toyota, Mazda, BMW, Lexus and Subaru admitted to Choice they made identical replacements, perhaps more worrying are the other manufacturers who continue to refuse to share this information with the public," Choice spokesman Tom Godfrey said.
Honda and Nissan were among manufacturers with recall-affected vehicles identified by Choice as "remaining silent" on the safety issue.
The investigation also highlighted reports that consumers responding to the recall were being told they would have to wait more than six months before their cars could be attended to.
On Friday, NSW Police said the death of 58-year-old small business owner Huy Neng Ngo on July 13 was likely caused by a faulty airbag. Mr Ngo was killed when his Honda CRV was involved in a collision with a Toyota Celica in Cabramatta.
ACCC chairman Rod Sims said Mr Ngo's death was "desperately sad" and brought home the seriousness of the issue.
"We would have very serious concerns if manufacturers were found to be misleading consumers," he said, adding that the ACCC would be speaking to the Department of Infrastructure and Regional Development "urgently".
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