No replacement: Motorists with ageing vehicles fitted with faulty airbags ordered to hand their cars in

Motorists with some older model vehicles, which have faulty Takata airbags fitted, have been told they must hand their cars in rather than having the airbags replaced.

Four Honda owners and one Mitsubushi owner told 3AW’s Ross and John they’ve received letters instructing them to stop driving immediately and organise for manufacturers to buy back their vehicles.

But they don’t want to hand in their cars.

Cheryl said her 22-year-old Honda Accord is in “good working condition” and she wants it fixed, not bought back.

“I’ve got a great car. It’s going to last for another 10 years and I have to hand it in!,” she said.

Honda have offered her $2300 for the vehicle.

The buy back notices come as part of a recall of 42,000 Honda and Mitsubishi vehicles manufactured between 1996 and 2000, due to serious concerns over their safety.

The cars may be fitted with potentially deadly Takata NADI 5-AT airbags, which have already killed two drivers in Australia.

Craig Allsop, class action lawyer at Shine Lawyers, said the legal case for owners who don’t want their vehicles bought back is complicated.

“I’ve had a little bit of a look into these particular Honda models and it does seem that there are no replacement parts available,” he said.

“If the problem can’t be rectified then the manufacturer is required to provide a refund for an unsafe product, which appears to be the course that Honda is trying to take in this instance.

“I don’t think the position is entirely clear and it may be a limitation of the Australian consumer law in dealing with this kind of unprecedented situation.”

There is at least one class action under way in relation to the faulty Takata airbags.

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