The prefecture of Guadeloupe launched a large reminder campaign on Wednesday to “accelerate the withdrawal” of Takata defective airbags In the archipelago, indicating that a in ten vehicle in circulation is “potentially dangerous”.
“We had identified 40,000 cars that still circulated with these airbags on the territory, (…) It’s huge,” the prefect of this overseas department, Xavier Lefort, told AFP. Some 20,000 vehicles must still change their airbags, he added.
They risk exploding by projecting parts in the drivers’ faces
Because of a badly aged gas, the failing Takata airbags are likely to explode by projecting parts in the drivers’ faces. Their degradation is accelerated under hot and humid climates.
The scandal of these airbags has been shaking the automotive sector since 2014, forcing many manufacturers to immobilize hundreds of thousands of vehicles around the world, in order to replace this security equipment. Several car manufacturers are targeted by complaints, including BMW, Toyota, Mercedes and Volkswagen.
In Guadeloupe, the prefecture has set up a green number (0800 700 800), and launched an important communication campaign to inform motorists of the dangers they incur and encourage them to change their airbags. The authorities wish to “facilitate verification as well as make an appointment for the replacement” of the equipment.
30 brands are affected, for more than 200 models
The prefecture indicated that it has also unveiled, in connection with the Grouping of Guadeloupe Automobile Dealers, a list of vehicles “concerned by a current or future recall campaign according to the risk analysis carried out by the manufacturer”.
According to this list, 30 brands are concerned, for more than 200 models, in the Guadeloupe archipelago. The brands with the most dangerous models are BMW – 26 models – and Volkswagen – 21 models.
In April, the Chancellery asked for the regrouping of the JIRS in Paris of all the surveys carried out on the consequences of the failures of these airbags, in particular those relating to manslaughter.
A new death linked to the triggering of a defective airbag had been recorded at the end of March in Guadeloupe. Until the announcement of this new death, the Ministry of Transport had identified 29 accidents having caused eleven overseas deaths and one in mainland France.
