26th June, 2015
Daniels Ekugo/with agency report
Motorists in Nigeria should be concerned as Toyota and Nissan, Japan’s two top automakers, have expanded their global car recall by more than three million vehicles to replace potentially deadly airbags that have already been linked to eight deaths.
Recalls globally has not been effective, with most auto companies in Nigeria denying motorists their rights.
Faulty airbags made by Takata have been linked to several deadly accidents, forcing carmakers to recall tens of millions of vehicles and opening the Japanese autoparts maker up to a public inquiry by US lawmakers.
Before Thursday this week, Toyota had said 12.66 million of its units were affected, although Honda, Japan’s number three automaker, has been the hardest hit, with more than 19 million recalled.
The defect — thought to be linked to a chemical propellant that helps inflate the airbags — can cause them to deploy with explosive force, sending metal shrapnel hurtling toward drivers and passengers.
Toyota is sold in Nigeria by Toyota Nigeria Limited, while Nissan is sold by the Stallion Group.
A call put across to them by P.M.NEWS correspondent Friday was not answered or returned.