Airbag concerns lead to new GM recall

Airbag concerns lead to new GM recall

August 25, 2015 admin ,

Washington, D.C. — August 25, 2015 — Adding to the recent wealth of recalls from various manufacturers over airbag deployment concerns, General Motors is now recalling thousands of Chevrolet Impalas. This issue focuses on a defect that would leave only infant passengers and younger children at risk, according to the Detroit News. Owners with children may have to think carefully about the possible dangers of driving these cars with them in the front seat.

Impalas manufactured as late as this June could sport a defect that doesn’t detect if a child seat is installed in the front of the vehicle. The error comes from a calibration problem in an electronic vehicle module, which in turn traces back to issues during vehicle assembly. 

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) features a recall bulletin detailing the steps needed to correct the “passenger service system” in affected vehicles and improve safety. The fix reportedly takes less than an hour of labor time. The recall specifically applies to those vehicles with vented-heated seats.

“Before the passenger presence system can be re-zeroed the front passenger seat must be completely empty of all items,” the bulletin reads. “The presence of any liquid or items on the front passenger seat will affect the calibration and operation of the passenger presence system.”

A total of 8,989 Impalas are targeted in this action, most of them in the United States and Canada. The NHTSA document indicates that the warning light could turn on when the seat isn’t occupied in the recalls, possibly leading users to discern exactly how at risk they and their families are.

adminAirbag concerns lead to new GM recall
Ferrari issues airbag recall

Ferrari issues airbag recall

July 20, 2015 Recall Masters

Maranello, Italy — July 20, 2015 — With so much being publicized about the Takata airbag inflator recall efforts, it’s become worth noting when a new manufacturer or model is added to the growing list of affected suppliers. Yet another major vehicle name involved with Takata-related airbag issues is Ferrari North America.

Although it’s only recalling a fraction of the number of autos recalled internationally, Ferrari has acknowledged a faulty issue, which may deploy the airbag incorrectly during impact.
While the affected airbags were supplied by Takata, this particular recall is different from the burn hazard associated with the faulty deflators in other models, and the manufacturer is insisting that this risk is due to improper assembly. To fix this, dealers are going to replace the Driver’s Side Air Bag Module starting at the end of this month.

A spokesperson for Ferrari told Agence France-Presse that the faulty airbags are limited to this recall action, to avoid confusion.

“The issue is a possible production defect in a component inside the airbags, which were fitted to around 2,600 cars,” this person said. “This issue is not related to the other recall made by other manufactures for Takata airbags,” they added. According to official documents submitted through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recalled encompasses “Ferrari 458 Italia, 458 Spider, 458 Speciale, 458 Speciale A, California T, FF, F12 Berlinetta, and LaFerrari” vehicles made for model year 2015.

By employing effective recall statement measures, auto companies have greater assurance that each action will be taken seriously and be distinguished when there are several other competing recalls for similar defects, especially those related to the same companies and manufacturers.

Recall MastersFerrari issues airbag recall
Takata recall now includes hundreds of thousands of Pontiac cars

Takata recall now includes hundreds of thousands of Pontiac cars

June 30, 2015 MotorSafety.org ,

Detroit, MI — June 30, 2015 —Toyota (NYSE:TM) now includes over 243,000 Pontiacs, which it co-designed with General Motors (NYSE:GM), in a Takata airbag recall. The airbags are at risk of exploding and injuring vehicle occupants. The recall of over 1.9 million vehicles includes the following models:

  • 2002-2007 Lexus SC
  • 2003-2007 Pontiac Vibe
  • 2003-2007 Toyota Corolla
  • 2003-2007 Toyota Corolla Matrix
  • 2002-2007 Toyota Sequoia
  • 2003-2006 Toyota Tundra

Recall summary

Major manufacturers have been adding more vehicles to the recall numbers in light of the dangers of Takata airbag inflators. As with the other Takata recalls, the reason for this one remains the same: airbag inflators could explode, sending dangerous shrapnel into the vehicle’s interior that could hurt vehicle occupants, perhaps fatally.

The repair

Toyota and GM will notify respective owners about the recall, and dealers will replace the front passenger airbag for free. The recall begins on July 13, 2015.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 1.9 million vehicles were originally part of this recall. As of April 9, 2021 – the last date information was available – 1,243,940 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

MotorSafety.orgTakata recall now includes hundreds of thousands of Pontiac cars
Honda addresses more than a million vehicles for new recall

Honda addresses more than a million vehicles for new recall

June 18, 2015 Recall Masters ,

Tokyo, Japan — June 18, 2015 —Honda (NYSE:HMC) is recalling over 3.4 million vehicles to replace dangerous passenger-side front airbags that could explode, injuring vehicle occupants. The recall includes the following models:

  • 2003 Acura MDX
  • 2003-2007 Honda Accord
  • 2001-2005 Honda Civic
  • 2001-2004 Honda Civic GX
  • 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid
  • 2002-2004 Honda CR-V
  • 2003 Honda Element
  • 2002-2003 Honda Odyssey
  • 2003 Honda Pilot

Recall summary

Honda is expanding recalls of Takata airbags over concerns related to rupturing airbag inflators. In the case of a rupture, the explosion could hurl shrapnel at vehicle occupants, potentially maiming or killing them.

As this blog noted previously, Honda vehicles were recently linked to another user death from exploding airbag inflator shrapnel, this one the seventh overall. It took place in a Civic driven in Louisiana and have contributed to the growing amount of associated incidents between the massive Takata recall and the manufacturer.

The repair

Honda will notify owners that their vehicle has been recalled, and dealers will replace the airbag inflator for free. The recall will launch on July 1, 2015.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 3.4 million vehicles were originally part of this recall. As of April 9, 2021 – the last date information was available – 2,597,364 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

Recall MastersHonda addresses more than a million vehicles for new recall
Takata airbag concerns spurs on more Honda recalls

Takata airbag concerns spurs on more Honda recalls

May 27, 2015 Recall Masters ,

Tokyo, Japan — May 27, 2015 — Manufacturers continue to recall cars in response to Takata airbag inflation mechanism concerns, and according to the New York Times, Honda Motor Company has decided to recall millions of vehicles manufactured between 2002 and 2008, such as Accords and Civics.

The source says that nearly 5 million vehicles have been newly recalled, although they were mostly available in Japan and have reportedly not contributed to any known injuries. On the other hand, the six deaths associated with the exploding Takata systems were originally all traced to Honda vehicles.

The new total for cars recalled because of Takata airbag concerns is now near $35 million, the source said, and Honda is taking the effort to replace faulty inflators. Earlier this week, Nissan and Toyota recalled more than 6 million vehicles total for similar worries.

Sho Minekawa, the company’s CEO, said that the new recall is expected to have “some impact” on Japanese sales. Reuters said that other manufacturers from that country will likely face pressure from the transport minister to follow in Honda’s footsteps and issue their own recalls.

This same week, Acura, a division of Honda, also recalled several vehicles, albeit for an unrelated issue. A statement from that company said that 19,500 MDX and RLX cars are being recalled because of a fault in the Collision Mitigation Braking System that could be triggered by “a metallic structure.” The radar system could apply the brakes at the wrong time and possibly instigate a crash.

In both of these cases, circulating proper recall information is paramount to replacing defective systems and achieving goals. The Takata recall is likely to inspire more news in the future, so giving consumers and dealers the knowledge they need may help them prepare for further response efforts.

Recall MastersTakata airbag concerns spurs on more Honda recalls
More recalls issued in response to faulty Takata air bags

More recalls issued in response to faulty Takata air bags

April 23, 2015 Recall Masters

Tokyo, Japan — April 23, 2015 — The consequences of recalls from the Takata Corporation related to faulty airbags continue. Previously, concerns over the overly aggressive inflation mechanisms used in Takata airbags led to industry concern and recall action from different manufacturers.

According to Reuters, Nissan is now including Sentras produced between 2004 and 2006 to the list of recalled vehicles, and late last month Honda announced more than 104,000 vehicles to its own list of affected cars. While the Honda statement pertained solely to driver-side airbags, the more recent Nissan announcement includes airbags on the passenger side, which Takata previously overlooked in its own recalls. Reuters adds that the total number of vehicles recalled because of the dangerous Takata systems is now around 25 million.

Major recalls like this, in which new information spurs on more and more industry action, need to be enforced with consistent messages that reach professional car dealers as well and consumers, and make the right corrective options easier to find. A Consumer Reports piece featured in the Boston Globe explains some of the issues that make attempted recalls less effective.

“In some cases, owners don’t know there’s a problem because they bought their cars used and the previous owners didn’t get the work done,” the article reads. “Other times, automakers lose track of who owns the car because it has been sold and resold a few times.”

If recalls are to be taken seriously, they need to be promoted through the right channels and targeted to their respective audiences. As the source says, every safety issue needs to be taken seriously, and when many different cases stem from the same problem, specific recall notices should be sent to make sure the proper course of action doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Recall MastersMore recalls issued in response to faulty Takata air bags
Honda airbag safety recall affects millions of vehicles

Honda airbag safety recall affects millions of vehicles

April 8, 2015 Recall Masters ,

Tokyo, Japan — April 8, 2015 — Honda hopes to address concerns in multiple models linked to a potentially dangerous airbag issue with its latest recalls. As part of an ongoing attempt to attend to risk, the manufacturer has been extending the existing recall to more and more vehicles, currently encompassing more than 5 million cars, according to the Associated Press. These include SUV’s and Civics produced over a ten-year period, beginning in 2001.

To allay operational concerns, owners can have airbags in these vehicles replaced by dealers for free. Honda is just one of several major names, including BMW, Chrysler and Nissan, that are participating in similar recalls, all of which stem from faulty airbag deployments systems installed by Takata Corporation.

The source described the possible life-threatening hazards associated with this defect. Due to the sensitive chemicals needed to trigger airbag inflation, some Takata systems could deploy too quickly, leading to vehicle damage and injury. Six people have been killed by this problem, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been overseeing Takata’s attempts to test and improve its airbags for safety.

In a press release from the NHTSA last month, Administrator Mark Rosekind affirmed his organization’s continuing involvement in this matter.

“There is a strong public safety interest in ensuring that testing moves forward, and that NHTSA has access to all test data,” he said. “We have worked closely with attorneys for private plaintiffs to construct this order so that it protects plaintiffs’ legal rights while also supporting our efforts to protect public safety.”

When recalls affect this many different companies and vehicles, the recall information needs to be accurate, comprehensive and up-to-date. Affected parties should pay attention to all of the related data while still performing the actions relevant to their specific case.

Sources:

http://www.nhtsa.gov/About+NHTSA/Press+Releases/2015/takata-ordered-to-preserve-defective-air-bag-inflators

http://www.al.com/business/index.ssf/2015/03/honda_recall_2015_air_bags_can.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/cars/honda-expands-takata-airbag-recall-to-include-2001-accord-2004-civic-2008-pilot/2015/03/25/103ab792-d33e-11e4-8b1e-274d670aa9c9_story.html

Recall MastersHonda airbag safety recall affects millions of vehicles
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