Mercedes-Benz Australia has been ordered to pay $12.5 million for not utilizing “excessive affect language” when telling clients concerning the recall of lethal Takata airbags, the federal court docket has dominated.
Takata airbags have been linked to 33 deaths and over 350 accidents globally, whereas in Australia one individual died and one other was severely injured when the airbag misdeployed.
“We imagine the statements made by Mercedes-Benz employees had the potential to offer the impression to customers that the airbag substitute was much less pressing than was warranted by the true dangers posed by the defective airbags,” Australian Competitors and Client Fee Deputy Chair Delia Rickard mentioned.
ACCC discovered Mercedes name centre employees described the recall as a “precaution” to 27 clients.
The recall discover required producers to speak the urgency to clients to have the harmful airbags changed.
“Given the dangers of misdeployment elevated over time, we had been involved concerning the dangers of any potential for delay in having these defective airbags changed,” Rickard mentioned.