Sisters  Raechel and Jacqueline Houck in the US were victims of a fatal car accident in Santa Cruz, US in 2004. The car they were driving was a Chrysler PT Cruiser – one of the models involved in a recall. The car rental company did not ground the models and rented out to the sisters and apparently began leaking steering fluid and suddenly caught fire before crashing into an oncoming semi-tractor trailer. As reported in a 2010 ABC News investigation, the car had been under a safety recall for the potential fire hazard, but was still rented to the sisters (ABC News, July 10, 2012). The parents of these sisters were awarded USD 15 million and a new law was drafted to ensure that car rental companies repair or ground unsafe cars if those cars are involved in any recalls.

Fast forward 2014 (Dec) Law Suk Leh who was eight-and-a-half months pregnant from Sibu, died on the way to the hospital, becoming the first reported casualty outside the US in air-bag crisis. In the US, Takata air bags, used by carmakers have been associated with eight deaths (including Law’s) and lawsuits. Her baby died at the hospital.

The current spate of recalls due to faulty airbag is the largest vehicle recall in the auto – industry history.

As of July 10, 2015 NHTSA announced that more than 30 million vehicle across 10 brands are involved in the recalls due to faulty air bags. Most models made between 2002 and 2008 and some 2014 models are involved in the recalls.

The US, Europe and other countries with vehicle safety laws have issued notices to the general public and provided a centralized database to help vehicle owners check if their vehicle is affected by the recall – mostly using VIN (Vehicle Identification Number).

Malaysian car owners are not that lucky or privileged as their developed country counterparts – even though we pay more to own a vehicle!

Get to the JPJ (Road Transport Department) or Ministry of Transport (MOT) websites one cannot find any useful information about the recalls. Car makers are reluctant to call recalls – recalls. They use any other names other than recalls. For example one car maker calls it product improvement campaign or services campaign etc. Such terms does not justify the gravity or the seriousness of the situation.  These information are not available on their home page rather buried under different menu tabs. One car maker listed the airbag replacement information under product updates. How do we ensure that vehicle owners replace the dangerous airbags in their car? Do they know how serious the situation is - in the event the airbag does explode?

When the Malaysian Association of Standards Users came across the incident in October , 2014, a letter seeking information from JPJ and MOT was issued. After a week or so, the response came and gave us a sense that both the Ministry and JPJ have heard about the airbag incident for the first time from our letter.  

As with the NHTSA, no agency in Malaysia has power under any laws to oversee vehicle recalls process and effectiveness of these recalls. Car makers in Malaysia informed their customers that replacement will begin once the supply of safe airbags is available - no definite timeline was provided.

So what advice to car users or vehicle owners with vehicles affected by the recalls? Stop driving or using your car? No way jose! Not in Malaysia and not in many parts of the Klang Valley even. 

The demand for private vehicles stands at around half a million annually. Number of road accidents has increased according to latest statistics. Malaysian drivers’ attitudes and road rage is quite common coffee shop or social media talk. However, this does not relief government agencies and car makers from their duty to ensure that only safe cars are placed on the roads. When a vehicle stalls in the middle of the road, or when steering wheel fluids leak or an airbag explodes (even when the accident happens at the speed of driving at a school car park) these are not results of driver's attitude. How do we explain this to Law's husband and family?

The National Consumers Complaints Centre (NCCC) have recorded thousands of complaints related to automobiles and related services. Among them are also complaints about stalled vehicles and use of sub-standard or allegedly fake parts. A regular Joe is not an automotive engineer to know if  his car is technically safe before buying it. Car makers have the responsibility to ensure that what they sell is safe to users. Regulators have the responsibility to ensure that businesses provide safe products – in this case vehicles.

In summary, those with greatest knowledge of the problem and have the most resources, the greatest responsibility to solve it.


[Note: It is also not a fair request to get civil society organisations to organize and promote vehicle safety and safe driving among general public when resources do not reciprocate. As with many developed countries’ governments allocate budget for consumer education and promotion according to their GDP or population size. It is quite frustrating when several CSOs compete for a small allocation and each getting the amount which is a measly amount. CSOs should also ensure that programmes are implemented based on results based approach i.e shows impact, can be replicated and so on. Otherwise we have nothing to show for. ]

Source by : http://standardsusers.blogspot.com/2015/07/my-vehicle-is-affected-by-faulty-airbag.html?view=timeslide