Two iconic carmakers recall MORE motors over faulty airbags after more than 95,000 UK vehicles affected
TWO iconic carmakers have recalled more motors over faulty airbags.
Some 20 more models of Toyota and Mercedes have been recalled by the Transport Ministry this week.
The cars were ordered off the streets in France on April 10 after the government requested more airbags were investigated after a previous scare.
Motorists with models sold between 2001 and 2018 have been urged not to use their vehicles.
These include models such as the Toyota Yaris, Toyota Corolla, Mercedes A-Class II, and the Mercedes C-Class II and III.
The airbags, which contain a nitrate gas generator, were recalled over a year ago when they were found to degrade more than others.
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This resulted in parts to detach more easily in a collision causing a higher chance of injury.
The Ministry of Justice said: “It seems appropriate to consider, in the interest of the proper administration of justice, a consolidation at the Paris JIRS of the proceedings relating to the introduction and continued use of defective Takata airbags.”
The new announcement comes as at least 29 airbag-related incident have been recorded in France - including 17 deaths - since 2016.
Other brands to have recalled their vehicles due to this problem include Nissan, BMW, Chevrolet, Citroën, Toyota, Mercedes, Ford, Honda, Jaguar, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Peugeot, Seat, Skoda, and Volkswagen.
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It comes after Ford issued a warning over vehicles fitted with a "certain" Takata driver airbag, which is designed to protect the owner in an emergency.
That recall impacted more than 95,000 drivers in the UK.
It is unclear if these issues will affect the same cars in the UK, as there has been no official announcement regarding recalls of the models in question, or concerns over any of the components.
Drivers in the UK can find out if a manufacturer has recalled any vehicle, part, or accessory due to a serious safety problem using the GOV.uk website.
Although usually, if a vehicle has a serious safety defect, the manufacturer will write to you to tell you what to do.
Generally, if a car needs to be fixed or replaced by a manufacturer, the car's owner rarely, if ever, needs to pay for repairs or parts.
Car recalls must be taken seriously, and drivers are urged not to drive their vehicle when it's been flagged for a fault.
However, according to recent findings by vehicle history checking service CarVertical, almost three-quarters of cars in the UK recalled for safety or mechanical issues remain on the roads with unresolved problems.
Their study reviewed vehicle history reports from January 2023 to September 2024 and found that only 28% of recalled vehicles in the UK had their defects addressed.
Many of these recalls involve critical safety components, such as airbags, brakes, and electrical systems.
While many factory faults are minor, some can pose safety risks.
The study suggests that many UK drivers may be unaware of their vehicle's recall status or how important it is to address these issues.
Some defects, such as the Takata airbag scandal in 2013, have had serious consequences in the past.
But despite extensive recalls by manufacturers such as BMW, Ford, Honda, and Toyota, vehicles with these dangerous airbags still appear on the used car market today.
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Despite that, the UK had the lowest recall rate among the 26 countries studied, with just 3.1% of cars recalled at least once.
The highest recall rates were seen in Portugal, Greece and Spain.