Subaru Australia is close to completing its role in removing more than a quarter of a million Takata airbags from Australian circulation.
Out of nearly 283,000 cars with Takata airbag inflators in its vehicles going back about 15 years, Subaru Australia tells AutoTalk its dealer network has been instrumental in getting them out of harm’s way. 
“A significant part of our network service centre resource is dedicated to Takata-related work,” Subaru corporate affairs manager David Rowley says.
“We are working diligently together with our dealer network to achieve the 2020 deadline and it is to their credit that they are maintaining normal service work besides the additional Takata demands,” Rowley says.
Rowley says Subaru has almost completed the recall, with 92% completion of like-for-like Takata inflators being replaced with completely new parts (including written-off vehicles), with a 73% completion of permanent replacements
“We’ve currently been through 205,692 ZF-TRW brand replacement airbags, with approximately 77,279 to go,” he explains.
TRW Automotive Holdings Corporation is an American original equipment manufacturer based in Michigan which was bought by ZF in 2015. ZF-TRW designs, makes and distributes chassis systems, occupant safety systems, electronics, and general vehicle components to the global automotive supply chain.
Subaru Australia says it, like many other brands and their dealer partners, has gone to great lengths to pull every last inflator from the population.
David Rowley.
“We have dispatched our own – and dealer network – technicians to a variety of remote locations, including Christmas Island, Badu Island, Thursday Island, Cooktown and Collinsville (QLD),” Rowley explains.
Subaru says it has used independent contractors to seek inflators in wrecking yards, and is working with auction houses.
At the request of Subaru Corporation, the removed Takata inflators are shipped back to Japan for destruction.
The Victorian Automobile Chamber of Commerce has praised Subaru’s commitment to the Takata recall.
“When the issue was identified, Subaru Australia was very proactive and solutions-based,” VACC head of communications David Dowsey tells AutoTalk.
“It appeared Subaru Australia was slow out of the blocks in response to the Takata airbag situation, compared to Toyota and Mazda, however, there was possibly a misunderstanding on the part of Subaru around ‘Alpha’, ‘Active’ and ‘Future’ airbags and this didn’t help – Subaru was not alone in this regard,” the VACC empathises.
Dowsey says considering the modest Subaru footprint, they’ve worked hard.
“Another aspect that played a part in the response time is that Subaru Australia has a lean dealer network, relative to its place in the market – Australia being the fourth biggest market for Subaru after the USA, Japan and China,” Dowsey says.
“So, the burden of replacing thousands of airbags fell to about 113 dealerships around Australia,” he acknowledges.
David Dowsey.
The VACC also reminds dealers to not take any liberties when handling and disposing of removed Takata airbags.
“It must be remembered that the OEM is the supplier, not the dealer,” Doswey says.
“According to the Consumer Goods (Motor Vehicles With Affected Takata Airbag Inflators and Specified Spare Parts) Recall Notice 2018 the supplier must ensure that all inflator parts are immediately quarantined, correctly labelled and handled in a manner to prevent re-use for any purpose other than testing by or on behalf of the supplier,” he explains.
“It is the manufacturer that is responsible for ensuring that all parts are handled correctly. It is incumbent on OEMs to provide instructions to their dealer network for the safe handling and proper disposal of all parts,” Dowsey concludes.
“Ultimately it is the dealers that carry out those instructions.”
