The models include the Fit hatchback, its Civic and Accord sedans, the hybrid Insight and its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle FCX Clarity.
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Honda Motor Company has announced the recall of about 668,000 vehicles in Japan over defective air bags sourced from Takata Corporation.
The filing for the latest recall was made by Honda with Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, with the ministry urging other automakers here to expand the scope of their Takata-related recalls in line with an expanded recall order issued by the U.S. road safety regulator.
Honda, Japan’s second-largest automaker, said the recall would span 16 models that were produced between January 2009 and December 2011.
While the government’s decision followed that by the United States transport authorities, it asked automakers to recall their vehicles in phases by 2019.
The latest announcement adds to the tens of millions of vehicles Honda has already recalled due over air bags made by Takata which are at risk of exploding with excessive force. The recall is to replace airbag inflators supplied by Takata Corp.
Globally, Honda has recalled about 51 million cars with defective airbags.
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The recalled air bags use ammonium nitrate as a propellant in the inflaters, a chemical that can destabilize after prolonged exposure to moisture and heat, which can cause them to explode, spraying shrapnel in passenger cabins. The air bags have led to the biggest ever recall in the auto industry. Honda was once Takata’s largest customer, but has since confirmed that it will stop using the parts maker’s inflators in its new models, as well as its replacement inflators.
