Trade Me launches recall alerts

Trade Me Motors has announced an initiative to help alert dealers if their vehicles have been affected by the recall of alpha-type Takata airbags.  

From June 14, MotorWeb’s Vehicle Information Reports (VIRs) included an alert if the vehicle in question may have been affected by the call-backs. 
The company realises the situation means it’s problematic for dealers to identify whether their stock has been affected by the mandatory safety campaign and want to help change that.

Alan Clark, head of Trade Me Motors, says: “We know the Takata airbag recall has caused vehicle traders some serious headaches and we are always looking for ways to work together with them. 

“We’re hoping that by adding this information into MotorWeb’s VIRs, we’ll save dealers some time so they can focus on selling more cars.”

Trade Me Motors has been working closely with the NZTA to find a way to alert Kiwis about potentially affected vehicles. While compulsory recall data isn’t available from all manufacturers yet, it will continue to work closely with the agency and its reports will reflect these updates as they occur.

Background to the airbag crisis

The Government issued an immediate, compulsory recall of 50,000 vehicles across New Zealand fitted with alpha-type Takata airbags. 

A further 257,000 vehicles require repairs of non-alpha Takata airbags and are undergoing monitoring.

Millions of airbags supplied by Takata, a Japanese company, contain nitrate, which causes a small explosion, inflating the airbag. A flaw means they can fail in a crash, sending fragments of metal into occupants of the vehicle. 

Worldwide, about 100 million vehicles are known to be affected by the recalls.

There have been no injuries or deaths in New Zealand as a result of the faulty airbags.