A Metro Vancouver driver is sounding the alarm over defective airbags after his exploded suddenly when he was backing out of a parking spot.

Greg Burgess says Acura Canada has been unconcerned and unwilling to help after the airbags in his 1999 Integra deployed for no reason, injuring him and nearly breaking the windshield.

"I wasn't going fast, probably went back about five feet. There were no vehicles around me to hit – I didn't make impact with anything -- I don't know what caused them to go," he said.

The young man was literally stunned, after the airbags slammed into his face at high speed with a loud blast that had patrons of a local restaurant rushing outside to see what happened.

"People actually from inside Boston Pizza came outside thinking that someone had gotten shot in the parking lot from the sound of the airbags being deployed," Burgess said.

He received minor injuries in the airbag incident, and his girlfriend's mother shudders at what could have happened to the young couple.

"If they'd been driving on the freeway, or in heavy traffic or whatever, going along, and it blew up like that -- how many people would be hurt or killed? It's terrifying," said Bev Johnson.

Burgess was shocked after going online and learning the details of an Acura airbag recall after the safety devices killed two people and injured 20 others.

That particular recall dealt with 2002 and 2003 Acuras, as well as some Honda models, but made the driver question if his vehicle was also affected.

Burgess called Acura Canada to help but said he was met with a brick wall. He wants the company to pay for the repairs to his vehicle.

"I just want them to look through the computer, see why it went off, replace my windshield and put my airbags back in and I'm fine with that," he said.

But Burgess was told that he would have to pay to have the car towed to the nearest Acura dealer to have an inspection done at his own expense.

Acura claims to have information that the young man's car had been written off in 2007 and was totally rebuilt. A spokesperson emailed Steele on Your Side to say: "Before we can be of assistance, an Acura dealer must see the car to certify that the failed parts and accessories are genuine and were installed by an Acura dealer."

Burgess says he's not satisfied with the answer from the company.

"I'm not going to pay the towing bill. I'm not going to pay the inspection fee. I'm going to fix it myself or find another way to deal with it and [Acura said] ‘OK, that's your choice,'" he said.

Acura told CTV that if the airbags are found to be originals it would fix the vehicle and reimburse the driver.

Click here to learn more about Acura and Honda recalls, and for a free vehicle claims history report, click here.

Watch CTV News tonight for a full report from Lynda Steele…