Stop driving NOW: Urgent warning issued to Aussie motorists over deadly fault in popular car
Thousands of Australian drivers are being urged to stop driving immediately following a compulsory recall of vehicles fitted with faulty Takata airbags, which have been linked to injuries and deaths.
BMW Australia has recalled 2,947 2010-2012 BMW 3 Series vehicles.
The affected vehicles were manufactured between March 18, 2010, and May 24, 2012, although some may have been sold after this date.
'As the airbag gets older, a combination of high temperatures and humidity can cause the airbag inflator propellant to degrade,' a Product Safety recall said.
'Do not drive your vehicle under any circumstances if your vehicle is affected,' the recall said.
'There have been serious injuries and deaths.'
Since the national recall campaign started in 2018, Australia has recorded one fatality and three serious injuries related to defective Takata airbags; however, none of these incidents involve the 2010-2012 BMW 3 Series mentioned in the recent safety alert.
Since 2018, the compulsory recall has impacted 2.3million vehicels in Australia
The order affects vehicles made by BMW, Ford, GM Holden, Mercedes Benz, Tesla, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda, BMW, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Dodge, Ferrari, GMC, Honda, Jeep, Lexus, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota, Volvo and Hino Trucks.
BMW Australia has recalled 2,947 2010-2012 BMW 3 Series vehicles.
Millions of Australians have been impacted by the deadly airbags (pictured)
Check the full list of Takata recalls here.
Everything you need to know about the Takata airbag recall
WHAT'S THE PROBLEM?
High levels of moisture penetrating the airbag can alight the propelling mechanism too quickly, causing metal fragments to explode outwards.
There has been one death and one case of serious injury in Australia as a result of the faulty deployment of the airbags.
Worldwide, there have been at least 23 deaths and more than 230 serious injuries reported associated with the airbags.
Victims include Stephanie Erdman of Florida who said her life 'changed forever' when she lost part of her vision after a minor accident in her 2002 model Honda.
In Minnesota in 2013 Shashi Chopra was left completely blind when the passenger-side airbag in her 2002 BMW deployed.
In 2017 a Sydney man, 58, was the first Australian killed by the airbags after he collided with another car in Cabramatta.
Victims include Stephanie Erdman (pictured) of Florida who said her life 'changed forever' when she lost part of her vision after a minor accident in her 2002 model Honda
Takata alpha airbags are an immediate and critical safety risk with people advised not to drive cars containing them.
Other high-risk airbags will be determined by three factors: age, the location of the vehicle (in areas of high heat or humidity), and the location of the airbag in the vehicle.
WHO PAYS?
Vehicle manufacturers will be required to cover the full cost of replacement.
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