Information about buying and registering a vehicle affected by the Takata recall.
Can a Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) search tell me if a vehicle is captured under the Takata Recall?
Yes. The PPSR is a national online register that provides information to help protect consumers and industry when they are buying personal property such as used cars.
If you check the PPSR before you buy a car, you can find out if the car has a security interest, such as a loan or lease, attached to it. This is important because if you buy a car that is subject to a security interest, it is possible that a person or entity (such as a bank) with a security interest will legally be able to repossess it.
As part of the Australian Government response to the Takata Airbag Recall, the PPSR has also been updated to provide consumers and industry with information about whether it is affected by the Takata Airbag Recall. If the car is affected, the certificate will clearly state:
This vehicle is identified as being affected by the compulsory Takata airbag recall.
Please check the vehicle’s recall status on the manufacturer’s website or by contacting them directly or by entering your registration details at www.ismyairbagsafe.com.au.
Faulty airbags can kill or seriously injure you and your passengers.
For more information about the compulsory Takata recall see www.productsafety.gov.au/recalls.
The cost of a PPSR search is $2 which includes GST. Please visit https://www.ppsr.gov.au for further information.
I recently bought a second hand car and have just received a letter about the recall. I wasn’t told about the recall when I purchased the car. What are my rights?
Businesses must not sell cars that are under active recall before having the defective Takata airbag replaced. Businesses that fail to do so may face penalties for non-compliance with the compulsory recall.
If your car was under active recall at the time you purchased it from a second-hand dealer, please report it to us.
The compulsory recall only applies to businesses, so if you are buying a vehicle from a private seller, they are not required to tell you about the recall prior to the sale. Consumers who are considering buying a second hand car from a private seller should check the Takata airbag recalls list for information about vehicle recalls.
Regardless of whether you purchased the vehicle from a business or a private seller, you are entitled to a free repair from the manufacturer.
Does the recall affect my vehicle registration?
The Takata airbag recall does not automatically make the vehicle unregisterable under state or territory transport laws.
State and territory registration sanctions apply to vehicles that have not had their faulty airbags replaced. The ACCC is also working with state and territory registration authorities to ensure deregistered vehicles are not re-registered without confirmation that the airbag has been replaced. You can contact your state or territory vehicle registration authority for more information about registration.
What should I do about my grey/parallel imported vehicle?
As the compulsory recall only applies to suppliers in Australia, the first thing you should do is confirm if your imported vehicle has an affected Takata airbag with the manufacturer in the country the vehicle was imported from.
If your vehicle’s airbag requires replacement, you should contact the company that first imported the vehicle into Australia to see if they are conducting a recall. As the supplier, the grey/parallel import business is required to arrange for the airbag to be replaced in your vehicle free of charge. If the business will not replace your airbag please report it to us
If the vehicle was purchased directly from overseas (and an Australian company only acted as an agent), or the supplier is no longer in business, these vehicles are classed as orphan vehicles. If your vehicle is an orphan vehicle, you should contact the manufacturer’s Australian office who will be able to assist you in obtaining a free replacement part. Owners of orphan vehicles will be required to pay for the labour cost of replacing the affected Takata airbag.