The regional competition watchdog has issued a stark warning to car consumers over faulty Takata airbags that have been linked to 22 deaths and 180 injuries worldwide.

The alert from the COMESA Competition Commission (CCC) follows the ongoing recall of vehicles from more than 20 major car brands due to defective airbag inflators.

In a statement, the Lilongwe-based Commission said that over 100 million defective Takata airbags have been recalled by car manufacturers globally as of January this year.

The affected brands include Toyota, Nissan, Honda, Mazda, Ford, Pontiac, Acura, BMW, Chrysler, Infiniti, and Dodge, particularly for models from 2002 to 2015, which are popular among regional consumers.

COMESA highlighted that the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has already issued a 'Do Not Drive' warning to owners of these vehicles.

"The commission wishes to alert consumers in the COMESA region about the ongoing developments concerning Takata airbags, especially given the high importation of used cars in the region," said Meti Demissie Disasa, the commission's registrar.

The Takata PSDI-5 inflator propellant can, over time, generate excessive internal pressure, potentially causing the inflator body to rupture upon deployment.

This rupture can send metal fragments through the airbag cushion, resulting in injury or death to vehicle occupants.

"These ruptures may occur in some inflators after several years of exposure to persistent conditions of high absolute humidity, high temperatures, and temperature cycling, among other factors," Disasa added.