Honda airbag safety recall affects millions of vehicles

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

Multiple issues lead to Ford recall

Detroit, MI — April 7, 2015 — Several different vehicle concerns have led to a series of Ford recalls. Taken together, they show the variety of possible safety violations that can be detected at once, leading to a need for quick action on the part of a manufacturer.

Though the three recalls all concern different kinds of mechanical issues, they are similar in that they target specialty vehicles for different uses. In a press release, Ford outlined each separate recall and explained what it consisted of and who it would affect.

The first recall applies to 213,000 Ford Explorer and Police Interceptor Utility vehicles produced between 2011 and 2013. These vehicles could include a flaw with the interior door handle that spring that could cause the door to open unexpectedly in certain circumstances. The release states that dealers will look at all handles for possible problems.

The other two recalls refer to a group of limo and hearses and a series of ambulance and emergency vehicles, respectively. The former concerns defective vacuum pump relays that would possibly lead to fires, and the latter stems from problems with faulty temperature sensors in the vehicle engines. None of these recall issues have been linked to accidents, the source said.

Each recall case needs to be clearly identified and come with an appropriate plan of action for dealers and consumers to follow. The text of a recall itself is only part of the solution, since it needs to also reach the right individuals within a proper amount of time. Writing for Michigan Radio, Tracy Samilton said that digital channels are providing new opportunities for manufacturers to get their message out.

“Automakers are increasingly turning to social media to try to boost completion rates,” Samilton says. “As Internet-connected infotainment devices in cars become more common and sophisticated, automakers will be able to send notices of recalls directly to the vehicle.”

Compliant and advanced recall solutions make successful response to a recall more likely.

Recall MastersMultiple issues lead to Ford recall