The COMESA Competition Commission has cautioned car owners over faulty airbags in over 20 car brands.
In an advisory issued by the Commission, it was noted that the faulty airbags had led to fatalities and injuries in parts of the world.
The Commission added that the affected vehicles were popular brands that are driven in its member states including Kenya.
Specifically, it was noted that vehicles were manufactured between 2002 and 2015.
"The COMESA Competition Commission wishes to alert consumers of numerous recalls in different countries, of vehicles equipped with defective Takata airbag inflators. The affected vehicles are mostly from model years 2002 to 2015, and as of January 2024, over 100 million Takata airbag inflators worldwide had been recalled by more than 20 car manufacturers.
"The faulty airbags have been linked to 22 deaths and more than 180 known injuries," read the advisory in part.
COMESA's commission explained that the body of the inflator would rapture over time, especially after several years of being exposed to humidity or high temperatures.
Therefore, car owners were advised to be alert and check whether their vehicles were among those that have been affected by recalls in recent years.
Some of the websites where the recalls can be checked include the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) section for recalls - www.nhtsa.gov/recalls.
"The Commission therefore wishes to alert consumers in the COMESA Region of the ongoing developments regarding the Takata airbags, for their information, since there is high importation of used cars in the Region.
"Affected persons within the Common Market may also contact their national consumer protection institutions or any other body with a mandate on consumer protection in their countries," read the statement in part.
Here in Kenya, the Kenya Bureau of Standards has yet to issue an advisory on the recalls and the affected vehicles.
