The Honda airbag recall, which began in 2008, has just been expanded for the fourth time. Image from Wikimedia Commons.

For the past few years, Honda has been continually recalling various models for airbags that can deploy too forcefully and injure or kill drivers. It began in 2008, and the recall was just expanded again.

Biggest recall in living memory

In 2008, Honda announced a recall of certain models because of a defect in the airbags, according to USA Today, concerning the airbag inflation mechanism. The mechanism in that recall, manufactured by Takata, a long-time Honda parts supplier, used too much force when deploying the airbag. As a result, the parts in the airbag system could not withstand the blast and break apart, showering the driver with shards of plastic and metal.

The 2008 Honda airbag recall initially covered 3,900 2001 Civic and Accord models, according to the New York Times. However, the airbag defect was later found in other models, and as a result, the recall was expanded in 2009, 2010 and in May of 2011. Honda has just expanded the recall again.

Nearly 3 million vehicles recalled

According to the Christian Science Monitor, the latest expansion of the Honda airbag recall covers about 304,000 vehicles, including 273,000 in the United States alone. There are a further 27,000 affected vehicles in Canada, 2,000 in Japan and 2,000 others worldwide. Only one car in Great Britain is affected. The total number of vehicles affected by the recall so far, including the recall just announced, now totals 2.8 million, including 2.5 million in the U.S., according to USA Today.

The initial cause of the problem was thought to be a defect in the propellant used in deploying the airbag that would allow moisture to accumulate, which would cause it to explode with extra force. However, it was later discovered that a faulty manufacturing machine at Takata and faulty chemicals in the airbag propellant were causing defects in replacement airbags as well. The latest recall also includes 603,000 cars that might have received one of fewer than 1,000 faulty replacement airbags. Honda doesn’t know which cars received faulty replacement airbags.

Honda believes this will be the last

Honda is convinced this will be the last expansion of the recall over the airbag issue. No affected model is from a year later than 2003. Owners are being notified to bring their cars into a dealership for inspection and possibly replacement of the faulty airbag.

The affected models, according to CNN, include the 2001 to 2003 Honda Civic, the 2001 and 2002 Accord, the 2002 and 2003 CR-V, 2001 to 2003 Odyssey, the 2003 Pilot, the 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TL and 2003 Acura 3.2 CL.

There have been 20 incidents of injuries due to airbag shrapnel in the affected models, including two deaths.

Sources

USA Today

Christian Science Monitor

USA Today

New York Times

CNN

They're popular, fuel-efficient cars. Now Honda Accords have recalled airbags, among other 2001 and 2002 models

Hot on the heels of the recent Toyota recall, we see now that Honda is recalling airbags. Some think this is a conspiracy on the part of the U.S. government and General Motors/GM, but I think we’re simply hearing more about recalls that would have occurred anyway. Media needs to feed itself, you know. Some things are temporary; juicy stories are eternal, at least until the next one comes along.

Honda recalls airbags and investors squirm

According to the Washington Post, a 438,000-car recall has been deemed necessary after the discovery that defective airbag deflators can cause the bag to rip and subsequently explode. The fragments fly at high speed toward the driver and passengers, which can cause serious injury. In the U.S. alone, one related fatality and 11 injuries have been reported. That’s 12 incidents too many, of course. The U.S. division of Takata Corp – the company that makes the Honda airbags for the models affected – is responsible for the most recent Honda recall of airbags.

On the investing side, the share drop is expected. The Honda recall of airbags has been estimated to cost 24 million yen in Japan, per the company. That’s about $267,000 in Japan, but for the rest of the world, the total cost is predicted to be around $30 million. Thus, the Post reports Honda’s price fell 0.2 percent in Tokyo; Takata fell 1.6 percent.

What Hondas are affected and what should you do?

These 2001 and 2002 model Hondas are included in the Honda recall of airbags: Accord, Odyssey, Civic, Pilot and CR-V. The 2002 Acura TL and CL are also affected. If the Honda airbag recall affects you, call (800) 382-2238 or see Honda customer service for what to do next.

Jazz should be fiery, but not like this

Did you know that a Honda Jazz in South Africa went up in flames due to an electronic window control error? It claimed the life of a child, according to the Post. That spearheaded a 636,000-car Honda recall two weeks ago. A previous Honda airbag recall in 2008 and 2009 took over 500,000 cars out of circulation.

Serious? Yes. As serious as the media makes it out to be? Perhaps not.

At least that’s what analysts like Yoshihiko Tabei of Kazaka Securities – among others – are saying. The general consensus seems to be that the import of recent auto recalls is somewhat overblown. However, if lives are lost and injuries occur due to failure on the part of automakers and their associated manufacturers, shouldn’t they be held responsible? This blogger thinks that the value of a life will always exceed anything on the balance sheet.

(Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/willvision/ / CC BY 2.0)

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