Motoring 19 Sept 2015

SATURDAY, 19 SEPTEMBER, 2015
Ticking time bombs
Mitsubishi latest to recall thousands of older cars to fix deadly inflator
ALWYN VILJOEN
AS a car owner, you need to know two
things about the massive and ongoing
Takata airbag recall which is affecting
over 50 million vehicles worldwide.
If you are one of the 2 354 people
who own an older Lancer 1,6 or Evo,
know that Mitsubishi Motors SA
(MMSA) this week announced a recall
of these cars to replace the risky
Takata airbag inflators in them.
The affected model years cars are
between 2003 and 2007.
The second thing is that you can
have the health of your car’s airbag
checked for the price of two Stickeez
at Pick n Pay — or R300.
We strongly recommend you do so
if you drive an older car.
If you habitually sit close to the
steering wheel due to petite build, we
recommend totally dismantling the
airbag’s triggers, for the same reasons
manufacturers instruct you to turn off
the airbag for a baby seat. (More on
where to do so below.)
Mitsubishi is one of 11 vehicle manufacturers
affected by the potentially
defective airbag inflators manufactured
by Takata, an original equipment
manufacturer for especially Japanese
marques, but also BMW Ford,
FCA Chrysler and Daimler.
The latest estimate is that 54 million
vehicles are potentially affected
worldwide.
Wheels have long been preaching
against airbags, which are as likely to
prevent injury as cause it, and in the
process causing more problems than
it solves in injury prevention, not the
least of which is the cost these exploding
devices add to the price of a car.
We argue — alongside great designers
like Gordon Murray — it is far more
effective and cheaper to use roll cages
and double the seat belts, for which
Even scrap yard workers are at risk of airbags exploding while they work on them. PHOTO: CNN
airbags only provide supplemental restraint
(the SRS on the airbag stands
for Supplemental Restraint System).
It has to be said with over 50 milkion
bombs ticking inches away from
people’ faces, surprisingly few people
have so far died from exploding Takata
airbags.
But hundreds have been injured by
the very devise designed to keep them
safe. The most recent death was in
June, when the driver’s airbag in a
rental car killed the driver.
The problem is caused by an inflator
that is prone to rust and ammonium
nitrate — the trigger chemical in
the airbag — that is highly sensitive
to temperature changes and moisture.
These breaks down over time. If the
ammonium nitrate combusts without
cause, it destroys the housing of
the airbag and shoot sharp bits of
shrapnel into the car.
Reuters report Takata documents,
filed in May with the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration, in
the U.S., stated the main problem is
propellant wafers in driver­side inflators
installed on 17,6 million U.S. vehicles
“may experience an alteration
over time” which could lead to “overaggressive
combustion,” particularly
when exposed to “high absolute humidity”.
Future Toyotas won’t be designed for Camry drivers
Check your airbags here
IN KwaZulu­Natal, Wheels can recommend
the company Airbag Renew
Durban, on 124 Whittaker Avenue in
Reservoir Hills, as the only group to
offer owners of older cars full SRS airbag
support at affordable prices.
The check on an airbag costs R300,
and new airbags can be fitted from
R2 000 a bag.
STILL think Toyota makes square
Camrys and Corollas for unenthusiastic
drivers who just want to get to
point B in relative comfort and a lot
of reliability?
Then think again and take a second
look at Toyota’s reworked C­HR
Concept, which is now on display at
the Frankfurt Motor Show.
The C­HR shows where the
world’s top car sellers are steering
design as part of its new global architecture
programme, and all the
square shapes have clearly been deleted
from the computer aided design
program. Instead, think “diamond”.
The second C­HR Concept is the
result of co­operation between Toyota’s
ED2 (European Design Development
Centre) and the company’s
other design centres.
In the words of the designers:
“The lower bodywork has been
sculpted to represent the faceted surfaces
of a highly­durable, precisioncut
gemstone.
“An exceptionally sleek cabin contrasts
with aggressively angular rear
shoulders and muscular wheel arches
that feature unique 21­inch wheels
with ‘diamond­cut’ machined­surface
spokes.”
At the rear, the glasshouse tapers
sharply to a pronounced diffuser, integrated
fog lamps and distinctive
floating rear lamp clusters that incorporate
diamond­pattern lens detailing.
Piano black paint creates the
impression that the roof is floating
and patters on the openings create
interesting shadows, or as the designer
states, a “play of light” in the
C­HR Concept’s cockpit.
Despite those high shoulder lines,
Toyota stated a very rigid body and
Call them at 082 740 5567 or
083 297 0239
• Lancer owners who want to check
if their vehicles are affected can do
so on mitsubishi­motors.co.za/recall.
• The full list of vehicles that were
equipped with the problematic inflator
Takata airbags are on safercar.gov/
rs/takata
Toyota’s latest
concept car
looks like the
designers took
a diamond
cutter to a
block of pure
excitement and
then added
21­inch wheels.
It is the future
of Toyota, and
Camry drivers
will hate it.
PHOTO:
QUICKPIC
a low centre of gravity minimises
body roll in the corners.
“This allows for suspension settings
that deliver great ride comfort
without compromising on driving
dynamics, equipping the C­HR Concept
with responsive handling, agility
and straight­line stability,” read
the statement. — WR.
The latest Lambo to arrive in Umhlanga to
a driver who prefers to be anonymous.
PHOTO: SUPPLIED
SUPERCARS IN KZN
THE Automobile Association can this week boast
about helping not only a stranded motorist, but
one with a very fast car.
Cape Town­based luxury car dealership Crossley
& Webb delivered the Lamborghini Aventador
LP 750­4 Superveloce from Bloemfontein to a
businessman in Umhlanga, who prefers to remain
anonymous. The group transported the expensive
car on one of the AA’s Iveco double cabs flatbed
trucks, tied the Lambo down with exotic vehicle
soft straps, and the driver doing an extensive inventory
before the vehicle was moved.
“We are thrilled that Crossley & Webb entrusted
this job to us. The same care we have taken
with this vehicle we take with all the vehicles we
tow and this again proves we offer the best service
to all motorists in South Africa,” said the AA in
a statement.
The Lambo arrives just in time for AIB Supercar
Club’s ride from Umhlanga to St Ives in the Midlands
today. The IBV club currently boasts a membership
base of over 700 supercar owners and aims
to have 2 500 members nationally and 5 000 IBV
Supercar Club members globally.
It has a strong presence in Durban, Johannesburg
and Cape Town, where the club runs popular
track days and drive­outs.
Founder and CEO Ashok Sewnarain says with
expansion to Dubai and London already in the
works, IBV Supercar Club is set to go international
with it’s combination of benefits and events.
— Wheels Reporter.
• Optional - Two-year/unlimited km warranty
• Terms and conditions apply. E & OE
• 80-point mechanical check
• Ownership guaranteed
• 7-day exchange plan
Polo Vivo
• Mileage certified
MILEAGE
• Full service history
COLOUR PRICE
2013 Polo Vivo 1,6 5-Door 22 000 km Blue R129 900
2014 Polo Vivo 1,6 Trendline 5-Door 12 000 km White R145 900
2014 Polo Vivo 1,6 GT 3d 31 000 km Red R129 900
2014 Polo Vivo 1,4 Trendline Sedan 22 000 km Silver R129 900
2013 Polo Vivo 1,4 5-Door 39 000 km Silver R119 900
2013 Polo Vivo 1,4 Tiptronic Sedan 31 000 km Silver R134 900
2013 Polo Vivo 1,6 GT 3d 52 000 km Silver R129 900
Polo
2014 Polo 1,4 Trendline Sedan 18 000 km White R159 900
2014 Polo 1,4 Trendline Sedan 19 000 km Silver R156 900
2015 Polo GP 1,2 TSi Highline 15 000 km Black R219 900
2015 Polo GP 1,2 TSi Comfortline 9 000 km Sunset Red R225 900
2014 Polo GP 1,2 TSi Highline 27 000 km Silver R229 900
2014 Polo GP 1,2 TSi Trendline 29 000 km Blue R169 900
2013 Polo 1,2 TDi B/Motion 112 000 km White R138 900
2013 Polo 1,4 Trendline 35 000 km Pepper Grey R149 900
Golf
2015 Golf 7 1,4 TSi Comfortline 6 500 km White R269 000
2015 Golf SV 2,0 TDi DSG 6 500 km Red R325 900
2011 Golf 6 2,0 TSi GTi R DSG 66 000 km Red R309 900
Amarok
2015 Amarok Double Cab 2,0 TDi 4x2 132 Kw 7 500 km White R399 900
2011 Amarok 2,0 TDi D/Cab 90 Kw 40 000 km White R249 000
Other VW
2011 Tiguan 1,4 TSi Trend/Fun 90 000 km Foil Silver R185 900
2015 VW Transporter 2,0 Bi TDi Crewbus 500 km White R529 000
2015 Take Up! 11 000 km Black R119 900
2015 VW Beetle 1,4 TSi Sport DSG 11 000 km Blue R289 000
2013 Tiguan 1,4 TSi Trend/Fun 83 000 km Silver R209 900
Other
2015 Isuzu KB300 DTEC Serengeti D/C A/T 16 000 km White R439 900
2011 Ford Figo 1,4 Ambiente 140 000 km Gold R79 900
Mastercars warranty not included in advertised price.
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Tel: 033 845 3100
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