Compensation from seven carmakers should be in the bank accounts of eligible Kiwis affected by faulty airbags at the end of the week.
Toyota, BMW, Honda, Lexus, Nissan and Subaru earlier agreed to a NZ$55.3 million settlement in response to economic loss claims by New Zealand and Australian owners of vehicles with Takata airbags, after revelations they could blow up excessively and release metal shrapnel.
Recalls of the airbags started about 2008, with around 100 million vehicles from 19 carmakers affected worldwide.
Thirty-three deaths and more than 400 injuries around the globe have been blamed on faulty Takata airbags.
"The distribution of payments to eligible group members began on October 5, 2023," the Takata Airbag Class Actions website says. Eligible members included 24,482 valid claims from Australians and New Zealanders who partook in the class action, it says.
"Please allow at least 3-4 business days for the funds to appear in your bank account."
The settlement, which equated to NZ$901.31, was approved by a Supreme Court of NSW judge last year.
In 2018, the NZ Transport Agency recalled more than 80,000 vehicles with faulty Takata airbags - describing them as a "significant safety hazard".
