(THEME MUSIC) - Tonight ` why did her airbags inflate without warning, and why won't anyone take responsibility? - Nothing actually hit me. I just recall my seatbelt literally pinning me back in my seat, and I could just reach the steering wheel. - And these collectors were sold a fairytale with no 'happily ever after'. - Oh, I'm so disappointed; not what we paid for. - And we investigate an unwelcome addition to this bloke's humble pie. - I've ever seen that on the ingredients. www.able.co.nz Copyright Able 2023 - Tena koutou katoa. Welcome to the show. Airbags ` their sole purpose is to keep you safe in an accident. - But what if they become the very thing putting you in jeopardy, not just in the moment, but for months afterwards? Garth has the story. (DRAMATIC MUSIC) - Amber Finlayson is back behind the wheel, still amazed she didn't die that day. - It still blows my mind that I didn't. I mean, there's so many ways it could have went so much worse. - It happened on the way home, just north of Timaru, as she was overtaking. - 'Where can I pull over? I've got cars either side of me. 'I'm just going to have to keep going.' - Because as she accelerated past another vehicle, the airbag right in front of her went off. Imagine that ` you're on State Highway 1 with traffic like this, and your airbags go off in your face... for no reason. (THUD! THUD! THUD!) - And my airbags were deflated, and it was just a high-pitch ringing sound. - Had you hit the van? - No. No, literally right next to it in the passing lane,... - Amber was still doing 100, and the safety restraint system had also activated. - ...but nothing actually hit me. I just recall my seatbelt literally pulling me back in my seat, and I could just reach the steering wheel. - Amber knew the lanes were about to merge. - I actually thought my car was going on fire, because it looked like` It was obviously the powder, but it did look like smoke seeping out of the airbags. So yeah, I still didn't comprehend what had happened and pulled over and took my seatbelt off, turned the car off and then rung Mum, and it still blows my mind. - How did you manage to steer out of that and just stay on the straight and narrow and then pull over safely? - Someone was definitely watching over me, put it that way. - That was in October last year. Now it's a lack of answers that's playing on Amber's mind and a lack of urgency to find them. Amber's 2007 Nissan Skyline 350GT has been parked up for five months of the two years she's owned it, with estimates over three grand to replace it. Amber's insurer, AMI, did cover towing and an initial assessment with a panel beater that confirmed no sign of impact. Yes, the airbags had gone off; to AMI, that makes it a fault, not an accident. The safety system had activated, but because she somehow didn't crash, Amber's insurance cover would not. - They said at the end of it, um... possibly part of a geographic... airbag recall. (THUD! THUD!) - We know about those on Fair Go ` in 2016, we discovered just how big the biggest vehicle safety recall in history was. (THUD!) Oh, shit. (LAUGHTER) One in 10 cars on New Zealand roads had faulty Takata airbag inflators. Eventually, the government ordered a compulsory recall of the oldest high-risk models. - Everyone's just assuming it's part of a recall, but no one can tell me if it is. - By everyone, she means AMI and also Waka Kotahi, which told her... - It steered Amber to Nissan. But if you think the manufacturer would want to know, brace for another surprise ` Nissan isn't interested. - This is a 2007-built car that was privately imported into New Zealand in 2019 as a used import. As this is a used import, Nissan New Zealand have no history of the vehicle or knowledge of what happened to it over the past 15 years. - Apart from confirming Amber's Skyline hasn't been subject to any airbag-related recalls in Japan, Nissan tells Fair Go... - We recommend the customer getting in touch with the vehicle importer, who is responsible for ensuring all warranty and consumer requirements are met for the vehicles they import or sell. - That is the law, but it gets Amber nowhere. Nissan built the Skyline; much later, a company called Autohub imported it used but says it's not responsible, as it's just delivering the car to a dealer that seems to no longer be trading, that sold it to a private owner. Amber didn't keep their details when she bought it off them, so no help investigating from any of them, taking us back to the people that made this car and 472 other 2007 Skylines that are still on our roads. Nissan, really ` no interest in investigating? No. Instead, a sales pitch. - We strongly recommend customers purchase vehicles through the authorised Nissan dealer network where vehicle history is properly tracked and qualified engineers can provide servicing and aftersales care. - Well, we strongly recommend you also listen to what this expert tells us. Apart from Amber, obviously, who should be worried about this? - Everyone. People need to be concerned. You need to` You need to trust and have confidence in the safety systems of your car. - Bruce Wilson is a forensic crash investigator. - You are very fortunate and lucky. In all my time in crash, most people when an airbag goes off, it is` it is a loss of control. So you've done very, very well with that. - We've asked Bruce to take a closer look, because Nissan has chosen not to, first at the outside,... - Visually, the whole vehicle's straight, hasn't even got a crack on the windscreen. - ...then at the data,... - It'll be interesting to see what the diagnostics says on this. - ...then at the heart of the safety system, the airbag-control module. - Visually, this actually looks like it's in perfect condition. - Our mystery just gets deeper. 'We're out of time here, but not out of answers.' - So there's a fault probably in the wiring system somewhere in this vehicle, which is quite concerning, because it's told the airbag module, 'I've had an impact. 'You need to deploy the airbags,' when it clearly hasn't. - Why is it a worry? Well, this incident may be rare, but the parts are not. - Whilst this is a Nissan from 2007, and it's a certain model, these modules, this wiring system, these sensors, they're all through the Nissan fleet. It's not like they build specific items for one model of vehicle. Manufacturers should be intrigued. They should be interested in it. They should be wanting to improve and maintain their product. - Fair Go asked Nissan how many of its cars would use those parts. - Nissan New Zealand have never imported or sold this model in New Zealand. As such, we have no knowledge or technical data on this car available. - Amber is not alone in finding that puzzling. - I think it's insane. Like, I can't understand why everybody is, like, pretty much closed doors. They don't want to know anything about it. You'd think that somebody would be curious as to why. - That's the sort of wisdom you'd expect from a good mate or a flatmate or a mum ` Barb is all three to Amber. - I'm mostly grateful that she's OK, and she wanted me to go to her. (ALL LAUGH) - Laughter aside, Bruce's verdict is still weighing on them. - It scares the crap out of me, to be honest, that there's a wiring fault in this, and it could be repaired. They could replace the airbags, put them back in, replace the seatbelt tensioners, do a faultfind, and it's fine, and then someone's off driving down the road again, and it deploys, because there's a fault hidden somewhere. - And that confirms Amber's fear She's done with the Skyline. - With the airbags going off when they did, If I actually was to crash from them going off, you know, what would have happened to me actually crashing? Because my airbags had already been deployed. - Yeah. ` So that's quite a scary thought too. I'd pretty much have no protection. Yeah. - Oh, the whole thing is just scary, isn't it? - Yeah, and thank goodness Amber came out of that unscathed. Now, e haere ake nei, coming up ` sold a dud ` what can you do if your purchase arrives, looking nothing like it did in its picture? - To let something like that to come out of their factory even, I was just appalled. - And if they can make it, they can definitely fake it ` tips to avoid buying counterfeit products online. - It's one of the biggest criminal activities out there. VOICEOVER: Imagine if you could start thriving. AIA Vitality is a science-backed health and wellbeing program that gives you the guidance, tools and rewards you need to thrive. So get AIA Vitality and start thriving. - Kia ora. Nau mai, hoki mai. Welcome back. Now, whether its online or by mail order, we buy so many products with only the photos to go by. So what happens if your product arrives, and it's a far cry from what you expected? - Yes, and worse still ` you're being chased for payment long after sending it back. We sent Gill out shopping for answers. - In Tauranga, Janet's got debt collectors chasing her, not physically, thankfully, but still. - It's utterly ridiculous. - And it's been the same for Jill in Otautahi Christchurch. - Because I got frightened in the end. - They both say they owe nothing, but Janet's bill is a few hundred now. - It's not big, but it's really annoying. - It was after shopping with The Bradford Exchange, a collectors store, which appeared to be collecting things itself ` debts that didn't exist. For Janet, it was a magazine ad for a Lancaster bomber clock that caught her eye. - So, I'm not a collector. I wouldn't normally do it, but I thought, 'OK, why not?' - It appealed because Janet's dad was a bomber pilot. - And that's Dad. - She has a few mementos,... - The service medal, but interesting things like little ration books. - ...but she thought the clock featuring a bomber would be nice for his grandkids. She ordered without payment, but on arrival... - Nothing like the real thing. - What's more, the payment methods didn't suit her, so she rang to see what she could do. - Lovely lady at the other end said. 'Oh, you can send it back.' - This is proof she did, tracked and traced. And this here is... - The handwriting of the assistant that I went back to later to verify that it had in fact been delivered. - Janet got on with her job, unaware the accounts people at the Bradford Exchange were cracking on with theirs ` because in the post came another invoice and then two more. So another call. - After an hour of hearing, 'Your time is important to us,' I decided it was going to be far quicker to actually write and to send letters. - You see, Janet doesn't have a computer, so letters she wrote, but no answer. Instead, debt collectors started making demands. - The last time I looked at it, it was 269... OK? And as far as I know, it's still growing, because the next thing came through was ` 'You are going to have court action.' - She wrote again and got a response, But not one she liked it. - It asked me to sign a letter, get it signed by a JP, and they would put it in front of the police. - She feels accused... - I don't thieve things. - ...and determined. - I'm not really willing to pay for anything I don't have. - So one more letter was needed. - Oh, this is Fair Go territory. - We'll leave Janet and head to our unhappy customer in Christchurch ` Jill is a big fan of Princess Di,... - I liked her clothes. - ...especially her jewellery. So she bought... - Princess Diana necklace. - What was not so good about it? - They were very tight around my neck. - So like Janet, she sent it back. - Took it round to the post office and sent it track and trace. - But unlike Janet, Jill had already paid in full ` product and postage for... - Came to 116.65 or something. - After months, she got a letter saying... - 'All paid, thank you very much.' And then I got a letter telling me that I owed them for the postage, of $14.99, and they said they would put the debt collectors on me, and they did. - So why did you pay? - It's very frightening. I've never had that before. I've never ever had anyone accuse me of not paying for something. - And she had paid way back. - It came up on my MasterCard. - So a year on, she's owed her refund and this extra postage payment, nearly 200 bucks all up. But one last frustrated customer for good measure ` Heather has a different problem,... - Oh, you're a wriggle-worth. - ...not just her fidgety great-granddaughter, Everly, but unsatisfactory goods. She'd wanted a Christmas tree for Everly. - I don't know how long I'm going to be here with Everly, and it would be nice if she had something that she knew that I had bought for. - Years ago, she'd bought two other Christmas trees like this. - I'm a great collector (LAUGHS) of things. (BABY COOS) - Yes, we are. - They were the very spirit of Christmas,... - Oh yes, they were beautiful. - ...so she ordered this Disney one for Everly. But on arrival, it conjured up spirits of a different kind. - It'll be traumatising for Everly. - It could be, yes. - Yeah. - Oh, I'm so disappointed; not what we paid for. - Even with its own music, at a cost of $350, it's sounding a sour note. - To let something like that come out of their factory even, I was just appalled. - And there's no fairytale ending. Why did you want to bring this up? - The fact they've ignored me, and who else is it being done to? - So we got on the job ` no direct contacts for any real people, of course, so helpline it is. Oh. After nearly half an hour of their best music, some advice. They've said to contact accounts, send them an email. Let's see if that works. And it did in just days. Christmas has come early for Heather. She can ditch this for a full refund or replacement. What have you decided? - I'll have the money back. We've decided to go and buy something else completely different. - They finally flew to Janet's rescue too. I get to tell her... So, they're gonna call the debt collectors off and just leave you alone now. So that's good. - Well, that is good. And that in fact explains why there's been no monthly sort of 'You owe us more money.' (BOTH LAUGH) OK. Well, look, thank you hugely. - And Jill, at last, she's getting the royal treatment too ` a refund is on its way. - Very happy. Well, I'm just glad that there's someone there like Fair Go that can` that can help the little person. (CHUCKLES) - Oh, do you need a wind chime? - I'm actually good for wind chimes, thank you. - Look, The Bradford Exchange was quick to respond ` to us at least ` admitting they hadn't provided the best customer service possible in these cases. - They say they have thousands of satisfied customers and work hard to process refunds in a timely fashion. They add there are many reasons returned goods might not be received, and if they're not, they have to follow up. - That's right. - Now, a deft segue from things that look quite unlike what you thought you were buying to things that look like the real deal but aren't. - Yep, we're talking counterfeits. And while you might not mind buying a cheaper alternative by choice, being duped into thinking it's the real deal is another story. - Mm, but don't worry. I've got you covered with some handy tips for spotting a fake. Here's Buyer Beware. If I say counterfeit goods, you might think the fake designer handbag or the dodgy watch. But the counterfeit industry is a whole lot bigger than that. For starters, it's worth hundreds of billions of dollars. It's one of the biggest criminal activities out there. And buying the watch or the bag means giving your money to people with really questionable work practices. Then there's a whole raft of things that could be harmful for you or your whanau ` things like pharmaceuticals or makeup, contact lenses, car stuff, electronics, even things for your baby; stuff you really don't want an inferior version of. So how do you make sure you're getting the real deal? Well, start by buying from a legitimate seller who has good reviews and recommendations, no harm in doing an internet search and seeing what comes up; Don't automatically trust the reviews on the seller's own site. Take a really good look at the branding and the packaging. Be suspicious if it's low quality or the spelling and grammar are off. The biggest telltale sign is often price. If a product seems unexpectedly cheap, that's a really big red flag. And when you do buy, pay with a credit card, so if something goes wrong, you've got a better chance of getting your money back. You know what, you do ` you think watches and bags, right? - Mm, yeah. But it is scary the number of counterfeit products that are out there. E haere ake nei, coming up ` potting mix ` are you getting the 40 litres you paid for? 50cm high, 40cm wide, 10cm deep. and when I went to school, that was a volume of 20 litres. - We put it to the test. - Plus, you've heard about a fly in your soup ` how about a heart valve in your pie? (INSTRUMENTAL OF BEN E KING'S 'STAND BY ME') - Thank you. - (GROWLS SOFTLY) - Whether you're just starting out or growing your business, it helps to have someone strong beside you. - Nau mai, hoki mai. Welcome back. Now, our show is all about helping you find answers to your consumer headaches, and we believe no complaint is too small... - No way. - ...because if it annoys you, it very likely annoys someone else too. - So we thought ` well, I thought ` it was about time I brought back everyone's favourite ` well, my Mum's, at least ` it's called Haydo's Mailbag. It's a great segment. I think you're gonna love it. (UPBEAT MUSIC) (BELL DINGS) Welcome to Haydo's Mailbag. We start tonight with a maths problem, so get your calculator out, maybe your abacus, maybe even your fingers and toes. - Hi, Hadyn. - Pete from Whangarei is puzzled by his 40-litre potting mix that comes in bags that are... - 50cm high, 40cm wide, 10cm deep. And when I went to school, that was a volume of 20 litres. - His maths is correct ` the bags are 20 litres, but the content is 40 litres. - The physical dimensions of them means that that's impossible, but they're clearly marked here as being 40 litres. Is that a Fair Go? - We decided to test Pete's theory by using a 1-litre planting pot. One... 10... 20... 35... This thing's like the Tardis. 40. 'But wait, there's more.' 50 litres in 40-litre bag. I can't puzzle that out. Both Mitre 10 and Bunnings say the answer is ` it grows after it's opened. The filled bags are compressed for safer, more effective stacking and transportation. This compresses the material, reducing the total volume of the product, unless it is fluffed up again. They say their suppliers test to ensure you get what you pay for. And last year, they concluded in every case, the volume in the 40-litre bag met or exceeded 40 litres. So give your compost mix time to grow. (BELL DINGS) Meet Polly... - Hi, Haydo. - ...from Christchurch. - I've been looking to update my hot-drink containers. I've been looking at all the shops, and they sell some really nice collections of tea, coffee and sugar. But there's one thing missing ` hot chocolate. None of the stores seem to sell containers for hot chocolate. - This is certainly a problem not complained about before. - The shops could be making a fortune out of us, selling us four containers instead of the traditional three. - Lucky then... - Hi Fair Go. - ...we found Marissa in Morrinsville. We sell labels that say sugar, tea, coffee and Milo. And these are available in English and te reo. - Ka pai. - Thank you, Haydo. (BELL DINGS) - Gidday, Fair Go. - Neil from Levin had an issue with his Irvine's pie. - Halfway through it, I felt something a bit funny in my mouth. Irvine's telling me it's a heart valve or something. Don't remember seeing that on the ingredients. - Neil says he was sick for the next few hours. (STOMACH RUMBLES) - Irvine's say there was an error when the meat was prepared. The steak pieces are made from 100% chuck steak. However, it appears that this piece of meat has not been trimmed correctly by our supplier. When contacted by Neil, we apologised to him and offered him an e-voucher. Neil had better be quick; Irvine's are discontinuing their pies from June because of cost cuts. (BELL DINGS) Jacob from Wellington loves his Pizza Hut. - Oh, looks good. - What he doesn't love is when it doesn't arrive. - It's so frustrating when, you know, you're waiting for your pizza to show up. - The pizza never arrived, so Jacob got on the phone. - I tried to call the store themselves about 30 times. - So he then tried head office. - Um, hi, guys. This is, like, the 12th message I've left for you. - Jacob says they got back to him two weeks later. - And then she basically said, 'Someone will be in touch with you as soon as possible to get that refund sorted for you.' - More weeks went by, still no refund, and so... - I'm not kidding. I called them, I think it was about two weeks ago, and I said, 'If someone doesn't get this sorted now, I'm going to contact Fair Go.' And then of course, as soon as that happened, the next couple of days, they'd emailed me and said that the refund had been processed, so... - To celebrate,... - Oh, thanks mate. I've been waiting a while for that. (CHUCKLES) - ....we shouted him pizza. - Oh, finally. (CHUCKLES) - Pizza Hut had no comment on Jacob's experience with them. - I guess I'm a happy camper. (CHUCKLES) - And that is Haydo's Mailbag. Scoot, scoot! Phwoar, Pizza Hut ` popular place. We do get the odd complaint, including one from a school librarian who ordered pizzas for her students in November ` by the time they showed up, all the kids had to go back to class. - Yeah, too late to eat. Well, she was promised a refund, but that never turned up. We asked Pizza Hut about this, and they have apologised and issued her refund, which is great. - Good stuff. - Right, that's it from us. But if you only caught part of the show, you can catch all of it on the Fair Go page on TVNZ+. - That's right, our programme is all about you guys at home, so please get in touch. We are everywhere. - We are ` Facebook, Instagram, TikTok; you can go to our webpage ` tvnz.co.nz, email us ` fairgo@tvnz.co.nz, or write to us ` PO BOX 3819, Auckland 1140. - Thank you for watching. Until next week` I'm thinking wind chimes ` his and her wind chimes could be great. - (LAUGHS) You're done for the day. - Po marie! Catch ya later.