Loan vehicles, information campaigns, sanctions … Faced with the Takata airbags scandal, the government passes the second

A decree published Wednesday sets new rules for the identification and management of the vehicles concerned by these dangerous airbags. Over 1.7 million cars are targeted in France.

Car manufacturers called to make it much more about Takata airbags. In a decree published Wednesday July 30 at Official JournalThe government establishes new measures to alert motorists, take charge of their vehicle within a reasonable time, while providing them with solutions in order to avoid being immobilized during inspections and repairs.

In total, 18 people were killed because of this failure in the country, including 16 in the overseas territories. Over 1.7 million vehicles of all brands are targeted by an immobilization instruction. “”Reminders are not over ” AND “A number of ruptures will continue to occur”alerted, in a report published Tuesday, The General Inspectorate of the Environment and Sustainable Development. In the event of delay or non-compliance with the rules, manufacturers are exposed to heavy financial sanctions. Here is the details of this decree.

A boost for information and recall campaigns

According to the official text, manufacturers must send a letter to the owners of the vehicles concerned, and have “20 days maximum” from the publication of the decree to issue a so -called opinion of “Stop Drive”that is to say immobilization of the vehicle, “Under penalty of 1,000,000 euros per day late”. The conditions of this recall are wider in Guadeloupe, Martinique, Guyana, Reunion, Mayotte or Corsica, because it is especially in hot and humid climates that Takata airbag explosions can occur, projecting parts of the drivers.

In its decree, the government recalls that “THE Airbag replacement is free for the vehicle owner “. To reach the population as much as possible, manufacturers must set up communication campaigns, supplemented by “”street canvassing in the overseas departments and regions“”. They must also broadcast, “At their expense”The posters and radio spots prepared by the Ministry of Transport. They must also, within forty-five days, display, on their website, a list of vehicles sold between 1995 and 2019 by detailing the Airbag brand, its type, while specifying if the models are targeted by a reminder notice with “Stop Drive”.

Free towing

As imposed on the decree, manufacturers must also offer repair meetings at home, or tow the dangerous vehicle to the garage. Vehicle transfer is now free, and this, “Towards the replacement location, then from the place of replacement to the owner’s home”. The owners must however take care to request it.

Repairs to be carried out within twenty days on average

Once the replacement request has been recorded, a replacement niche must be offered within three days, for an appointment within two months maximum. But a more ambitious objective of speed has been set. The government is asking for What “The average time to replace airbags does not exceed 20 days from the date of registration”. Manufacturers must ensure that this average respects, under penalty of a one million euros per week late.

A mobility solution offered after fifteen days of waiting

To avoid leaving dozens, even hundreds, thousands of drivers fully immobilized,, manufacturers must provide them “A courtesy vehicle or complete financing of a rental vehicle or an alternative means of transport”If the proposed replacement niche is more than fifteen days apart from the recording of the request. The implementation of this rule will take twenty days. At the end of this period, any exceeding of delay will result in “A penalty of 1,000 euros per day late and per vehicle concerned”underlines the decree.