American Honda Motors Co. issued a statement last Tuesday saying approximately 772,000 more Acura and Honda-branded vehicles are now part of an ongoing recall responding to faulty Takata airbags equipped in them.
The announcement came as the second stage of the original recall process for Honda cars, which initially notified over 500,000 Honda and Acura drivers in the U.S. and prompted them to stop driving their cars over serious safety concerns.
With Phase 2, the total number of cars affected by the hazardous Takata airbags rises to 1.29 million vehicles according to Honda estimates.
The Japanese airbag manufacturer Takata was the provider for automakers everywhere, and their faulty products have led brands like Toyota, Fiat-Chrysler, Nissan, and others to recall over 40 million vehicles worldwide.
What is the issue with Takata airbags on Honda cars?
Takata uses an unstable chemical on their airbags that degrade over time when cars are exposed to humid and hot climates.
Prolonged exposition to these conditions can cause a chemical reaction that makes the airbag inflators explode, potentially injuring or causing death to drivers inside the vehicles.
Since airbags are internal mechanisms of cars, the explosion takes metal and plastic shrapnel with it that has been responsible for at least 100 injuries and over ten deaths worldwide.
Which Honda models are affected by the recall?
The following models and year ranges specified are part of Honda’s expanded recall according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration assessments:
• 2005-2006 Acura MDX
• 2005-2012 Acura RL
• 2009-2012 Acura TSX
• 2011-2012 Acura TSX Wagon
• 2010-2012 Acura ZDX
• 2008-2012 Honda Accord
• 2010-2012 Honda Crosstour
• 2006-2011 Honda Civic
• 2005-2011 Honda CR-V
• 2005-2011 Honda Element
• 2012 Honda FCX Clarity
• 2007-2012 Honda Fit
• 2010-2012 Honda Insight
• 2005-2012 Honda Pilot
• 2006-2012 Honda Ridgeline
• 2006-2009 and 2012 Honda Gold Wing Airbag
How to check if your Honda is affected
Honda will start notifying vehicle owners by mail in late February, but you can check on your own through various sites if your car presents the issue and needs to be recalled for fixing.
The automaker has three locations dedicated to customer assistance under these circumstances. Affected drivers can go to www.recalls.honda.com, www.recalls.acura.com, or www.powersports.honda.com/recalls for more information.
On top of that, there are two customer service numbers for automobile and motorcycle owners of faulty Honda models. The number of car drivers is (888) 234-2138 while the one for motorists is (866) 784-1870.
The NHTSA also offers its services for all registered vehicle owners in the U.S. at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls. Just entering the VIN number of your car tells you if it is subject to any recalls.
Source: Honda