YOU HAVE TO HAVE some sympathy for car companies caught up in the Takata airbag recall, a situation not of their own making, but costing them millions.
And the ACCC seems to be on their case at every turn (pity they can’t do anything about the so-called petrol price cycle other than “keep an eye on it”).
Mercedes-Benz Australia has provided an enforceable undertaking to the ACCC, under which it has committed to provide eligible customers who own vehicles affected by the compulsory Takata airbag recall with a loan vehicle or reasonable alternative transport until their affected airbag is replaced.
Mercedes-Benz has elected to develop, certify and install improved airbag modules that do not use ammonium nitrate inflators to ensure they will not be subject to a further recall for the same concern. Due to extensive global demand for the new airbags, Mercedes-Benz Australia has been unable to meet the recall timeframes previously agreed with the ACCC for certain C-Class and E-Class vehicles equipped with affected Takata airbags. These Mercedes-Benz vehicles are not equipped with ‘alpha’ or ‘critical’ Takata airbags.
Customers can continue to drive their vehicles while waiting for a replacement airbag to become available however, when they receive a recall letter, they should contact their nearest authorised retailer as soon as possible to book their vehicle in for the airbag to be replaced. If customers prefer not to drive their vehicle while waiting for the recall to be performed, alternative transport can be arranged for eligible customers.
Additional supply of replacement airbags from the parts supplier has been confirmed, and Mercedes-Benz is committed to replacing all affected Takata airbags before the completion deadline of 31 December 2020, as required by the compulsory recall notice.
The recall of all remaining affected vehicles will be initiated before the end of June 2020. To date, the recall completion rate for Mercedes-Benz Australia is 73.7 percent, which is ahead of the quarterly completion schedule specified in the compulsory recall notice.
Customers eligible for loan vehicles or reasonable alternative transport will be contacted directly by Mercedes-Benz.
The vehicles involved are certain examples of C-Class (204) manufactured between 2008 and 2015, and some E-Class (207 & 212) built between 2010 and 2017. For further information, please visit recall.mercedes-benz.com.au.