Honda is recalling 2.2 million more cars because of potentially defective airbags.
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According to documents filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the electrical systems in the affected air bags can become corroded, resulting in the air bag failing to deploy in a crash. Fiat Chrysler’s recall affects 112,001 vehicles; Mercedes-Benz’s involves 126,260.
The defective airbags are blamed for nine deaths in the U.S.
Honda’s recall includes older model years dating to 2005, but also has some newer vehicles from as recently as the 2015 and 2016 model years.
Honda plans to issue a statement later this week with additional information and a date when the affected VINs will be searchable, he said.
Unfortunately, Honda has reportedly told dealerships that parts are in very short supply until this upcoming autumn, and so for now it will order the replacements for cars with airbag troubles or crash damage.
The complete list of models included in the 5-million-vehicle recall campaign has not been released.
The filing has also revealed that Continental has been aware of the defect in some units of the airbag component since January 2008, but had largely left the issue addressed all these years.
As is the case with any supplier-defected part, it is the responsibility of the vehicle manufacturer to conduct the recall.
These air bag units, produced from 2006 to 2010, may not deploy in a crash or may deploy by accident with no warning.
The latest Continental recall developed over years. Richard Blumenthal and Edward Markey urged NHTSA to recall all cars with Takata inflators. The whereabouts of the remaining three million or so vehicles were not known.
Replacement inflators will be sent to high-humidity areas along the U.S. Gulf Coast first, then to the rest of the country.
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This is yet another airbag recall, but surprisingly, Takata isn’t involved. The non-desiccated PSDI-5 Takata driver front airbag inflators will be replaced, free of charge. Recalled vehicles will have their faulty airbag inflators removed and replaced with parts from an alternative supplier. The repairs are scheduled to begin this summer, and owners should receive a letter notifying them about the recall within 60 days and will get a second message when parts are available.
