WELLINGTON: Nissan has joined Honda in recalling 10,300 New Zealand vehicles as the fallout from faulty airbags spreads. Nissan spokesman Peter Fadeyev said Nissan models ranging from 2004 to 2007 were affected by faulty airbags supplied by Japanese parts manufacturer Takata.
Details of the models and quantities in the recall were yet to be confirmed, he said. The company would contact customers affected by the recall as soon as parts and more details were available, he said.
The recall would be carried out at no cost to customers. Also on Tuesday Honda said it was recalling another 16,000 vehicles in New Zealand.
The recall affects New Zealand-new Honda Civic, Jazz, Accord Euro, and CR-Vs models ranging between 2002 and 2008 which have potentially been fitted with faulty driver or front seat passenger airbags.
In 2014 Honda recalled 7000 vehicles in New Zealand for the same issue, taking the total recall to 23,000.
The recall is due to the potentially dangerous deployment of airbags which can send shards of metal flying with the ability to cause injury or death and is part of a worldwide recall of 4.89 million Honda’s fitted with airbags from supplier Takata.
Honda national service manager Bryan Davis said the driver and front seat passenger airbag inflators of all affected vehicles would be replaced with a new part. “Honda New Zealand has not received any reports of incidents in New Zealand where airbags in vehicles affected by the recall might have deployed abnormally,” Davis said.
Honda New Zealand was checking which Japanese used imported Hondas might also be affected. Owners of affected vehicles, who would be identified through registration data, would be contacted by Honda New Zealand, he said.
AA motoring advice manager Andrew Bayliss said: “Despite the very small risk, any safety related defect must be treated seriously, but there is no need to panic,” Bayliss said. Given the numbers of vehicles affected, it was unlikely that parts would be available immediately, he said.
A reported 34 million affected vehicles in the United States could potentially be recalled. Various Japanese car makers were affected by the fault with Toyota and Nissan having issued vehicle recalls globally, Bayliss said.
Earlier in May Toyota New Zealand recalled 26,000 Corolla, Picnic, Yaris and RAV4 vehicles for a possible airbag fault. as part of a worldwide recall of 5 million Toyotas fitted with Takata airbags.
Toyota spokesman Morgan Dilks said Toyota New Zealand was waiting to hear from its head office in Japan if there would be further recalls.
Last year Mazda New Zealand recalled 5100 New Zealand-new Mazda 6 cars sold in 2002 and 2003 and the used Japanese-import version Mazda Atenza, with front passenger airbags made by Takata.
Mazda general manager of vehicle sales and marketing Glenn Harris said on Wednesday Mazda was also waiting to hear from its global head office in Japan if the recall would be extended.
