Automakers to recall 5M vehicles for another air bag problem

This comes while automotive supplier Takata is embroiled in a massive faulty airbag recall which has been linked to at least 10 deaths and many injuries. This most recent round of recalls brings the number of USA recalls to 24 million and Honda accounts for more than a third (8.5 million) of that total.

Honda said the most up-to-date consumer information about the recalls can be obtained at www.recalls.honda.com and www.recalls.acura.com, or by calling 888-234-2138.

Honda plans to replace all of the recalled inflators with new parts.

The air bags can rupture when they deploy, sending debris into the car’s cabin.

Until recently, Honda was Takata’s biggest client, and as a result, the automaker has been hit especially hard by the long, drawn-out Takata airbag recall. It is possible the airbag material begins to break down as a vehicle ages.

Meanwhile, an analyst thinks that the Continental air bag recall can’t be compared to the Takata air bag recall, mainly because fewer vehicles are impacted by Continental’s recall.

But Honda is not alone.

Honda is announcing this recall to encourage all owners of affected vehicles to take them to an authorized dealer as soon as they receive notification from Honda that replacement parts are available for their vehicles.

The U.S. safety investigation is still under way. Nine of the deaths were in vehicles made by Honda. Despite an aggressive campaign, Honda brand boss Jeff Conrad told TheDetroitBureau.com that only about 50 percent of the vehicles Honda had targeted prior to this week’s recall have so far been repaired. But they were mostly in older cars – typically model years no later than 2008.

Honda said that it is recalling 341,000 Accord models made from 2008 to 2010 to replace control units associated with the defective Continental air bag systems.

If the unit fails, the SRS indicator will illuminate on the dashboard, meaning the airbags could fail in a crash.

Honda said it has received 1,575 warranty claims, 83 field reports and 2 confirmed injuries related to the defect.

Takata isn’t the only parts supplier having problems with its airbag components.

The latest Honda recall consists of the 2005-2012 Acura RL, the 2007-2011 Honda CR-V and 2007-2016 Acura RDX.

The Associated Press is reporting that Continental Automotive Systems alerted USA regulators of a problem with moisture penetrating some airbag control computers.