Honda Airbag Inflators May Explode Unexpectedly

Honda Airbag Inflators May Explode Unexpectedly

January 17, 2020 Marshall Earley , , ,

re: NHTSA campaign 20V026000

Laguna Hills, Calif. – January 21, 2020 – Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling select 1996-2000 vehicles that are equipped with airbag inflators which deflate before deployment or explode without warning, sending sharp objects into the vehicle.

The estimated total of affected vehicles is 1,500,705.

Affected Vehicles Include:

  • 1997-1998 Acura 2.2CL
  • 1998-1999 Acura 2.3CL
  • 1997-1999 Acura 3.0CL
  • 2001 Acura 3.2CL and Acura MDX
  • 1998-2000 Honda Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Sedan, Odyssey and Acura 3.5RL
  • 1999-2000 Acura 3.2TL
  • 1996-2000 Civic Coupe
  • 1997-2000 CR-V
  • 1997-1998 EV Plus 
  • 1998-1999 Isuzu Oasis vehicles.

The Defect:

Almost 2 million Honda vehicles are under recall, sighting a manufacturing issue in the airbag inflators of 1996-2000 year vehicles. Certain airbag inflators were equipped with Non-Azide driver airbag inflators (NADI) that were not installed with phase stabilized ammonium (PSAN) propellant. These affected NADI inflators can absorb excess moisture over long periods of vehicle use. This excess moisture as well as long term exposure to high temperatures can cause inflators to de-inflate or explode without warning, sending dangerous items into the vehicles interior.

Solution:

All affected vehicle owners will be notified by Honda before March 9, 2020. The repair will entail the installation of a replacement driver frontal airbag inflator that does not contain phase stabilized ammonium nitrate (PSAN) propellant. Unfortunately, dealers do not have access to all parts needed for the full repair. Therefore, a second letter will be mailed to affected vehicle owners once certain replacement parts are available. Vehicle owners may contact American Honda’s Customer Support & Campaign Center  at 1-888-234-2138 or Isuzu Customer Service at 1-800-255-6727.

For more information on this and other recalls, visit www.motorsafety.org.

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About MotorSafety.org

MotorSafety.org is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to vehicle safety and assisting consumers with the identification and resolution of vehicle manufacturing recalls and defects. Through education, awareness, government relations, repair facility referrals and strategic partnerships, MotorSafety.org hopes to remove every unsafe vehicle from the road, facilitate its proper repair, and ensure its prompt return to the owner once the vehicle has met the required safety and performance standards. For more information about MotorSafety.org, please email support@motorsafety.org.

Marshall EarleyHonda Airbag Inflators May Explode Unexpectedly
Honda AirBag Inflators May Explode Unexpectedly or Deflate

Honda AirBag Inflators May Explode Unexpectedly or Deflate

January 17, 2020 Marshall Earley ,

re: NHTSA Campaign 20V027000

Laguna Hills, Calif. – January 23, 2020 – Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) has placed a recall under certain 2000-2002 Honda vehicles, sighting airbag inflator malfunction. 

The estimated total of affected vehicles is 875,966.

The Defect

Honda is recalling almost 900,000 vehicles due to airbag inflator malfunction. As part of a previous vehicle repair, affected vehicles were installed with a replacement driver frontal airbag module that, due to a manufacturing issue, caused the NADI inflator to absorb moisture. The excess moisture absorbed by the NADI inflator caused airbag cushions to de-inflate or, upon deployment, send metal fragments towards the vehicles occupants. Both could cause serious injuries to the vehicles passengers. This recall follows in a long series of passenger airbag inflator recalls.

Affected Vehicles Include:

  • 2001-2002 Acura 3.2CL
  • 2000-2003 Acura 3.5RL
  • 2000-2001 Acura 3.2TL, Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey
  • 2001-2002 Acura MDX
  • 2000 Accord Coupe, Accord Sedan, Civic Coupe, and Civic Sedan vehicles.

Solution

All Honda vehicles suspected of recall will be notified by mail on March 9, 2020. A second letter will be mailed by Honda once new replacement parts become available for the affected vehicles. Any owner suspecting that their vehicle is under recall can bring their vehicle into any authorized Honda dealership to perform the proper repairs. However the replacement parts for the new driver frontal airbag inflator design are not yet available, but should be available after March 9, 2020. If owners have any questions concerning their repairs they may contact American Honda’s Customer Support & Campaign Center at 1-888-234-2138.

For more information on this and other recalls, visit www.motorsafety.org.

—————————————————————————————————————

About MotorSafety.org

MotorSafety.org is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to vehicle safety and assisting consumers with the identification and resolution of vehicle manufacturing recalls and defects. Through education, awareness, government relations, repair facility referrals and strategic partnerships, MotorSafety.org hopes to remove every unsafe vehicle from the road, facilitate its proper repair, and ensure its prompt return to the owner once the vehicle has met the required safety and performance standards. For more information about MotorSafety.org, please email support@motorsafety.org.

Marshall EarleyHonda AirBag Inflators May Explode Unexpectedly or Deflate
Honda Recalls 2019 CR-V Vehicles Because Of Air Bag Wiring Issue

Honda Recalls 2019 CR-V Vehicles Because Of Air Bag Wiring Issue

May 30, 2019 Sean Reyes

Laguna Hills, CA – May 30, 2019 – American Honda Motor Company is recalling certain 2019 CR-V vehicles. The steering wheel cores of these cars may have metal burrs, which can damage wiring harnesses contained within them. This could disable the driver’s air bag or unexpectedly trigger deployment without any prior warning. As many as 118,598 vehicles may be affected.

The Defect

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report on this issue, the affected vehicles may have metal burrs on the steering wheel core that could cut or damage the wiring harnesses routed through the core, including the wires for the driver’s air bag. If this were to occur, the air bag could unexpectedly activate with no warning, or it could fail to operate in the event of a crash. The result of either of these situations would be an increased risk of accident or injury.

Timeline of Events

Honda first learned of the problem Jan. 24, 2019, when a warning light flashed on a new CR-V vehicle being assembled. Technicians tracking down the cause discovered that a short circuit in the cable reel sub-harness had blown a fuse, most likely due to burrs on the core of the steering wheel that damaged a misrouted sub-harness.

As soon as this problem was reported, all North American manufacturing facilities developed and put into place new quality process improvements. On Jan. 25, Honda and its steering wheel supplier began a joint investigation into the causes and consequences of the issue. By Jan. 31, the supplier changed the steering wheel core trim tool to prevent potential burring.

The automaker received its first and second market claims of faulty air bag activation between February and late March. Honda then collected the failed parts for root-cause analysis, which later confirmed that an improperly routed cable reel sub-harness was indeed susceptible to damage caused by burrs on the steering wheel core.

From April to early May, Honda received four additional claims of unexpected air bag deployment (then totalling six in all). As before, the failed parts were collected and analyzed. By this time, the automaker determined that a motor vehicle safety defect existed and decided May 14 to conduct a recall. As of that date, Honda had received 41 warranty claims, 20 field reports, three injury reports and no reports of full-on crashes related to this issue.

The Solution

The recall is expected to start July 8, 2019. Honda will notify all affected vehicle owners, directing them to return their CR-V vehicles to the nearest Honda dealership for inspection and repairs. Dealers will install a new protective cover on the steering wheel core as well as replacing the clockspring and harnesses within the core, at no charge to vehicle owners.

Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda’s number for this recall is R4S. The NHTSA Campaign Number for this recall is 19V383000.

Sean ReyesHonda Recalls 2019 CR-V Vehicles Because Of Air Bag Wiring Issue
Honda Recalls Over 1.1 Million Vehicles Equipped With Faulty Takata Air Bag Inflators

Honda Recalls Over 1.1 Million Vehicles Equipped With Faulty Takata Air Bag Inflators

March 15, 2019 Sean Reyes , ,

Laguna Hills, CA – March 15, 2019 – Honda is recalling over 1.1 million vehicles equipped with potentially dangerous Takata airbags that could explode if deployed during a crash. The recall includes the following models:

  • 2003 Acura 3.2CL
  • 2013-2016 Acura ILX
  • 2013-2014 Acura ILX Hybrid
  • 2003-2006 Acura MDX
  • 2007-2016 Acura RDX
  • 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL
  • 2004-2006 and 2009-2014 Acura TL
  • 2010-2013 ZDX
  • 2001-2007 Honda Accord
  • 2009 Honda Accord
  • 2001-2005 Honda Civic
  • 2003-2005 Honda Civic Hybrid
  • 2001-2005 Honda Civic GX NGV
  • 2002-2007 Honda C-RV
  • 2010-2011 Honda CR-V
  • 2003-2011 Honda Element
  • 2007 Honda Fit
  • 2002-2004 Honda Odyssey
  • 2003-2008 Honda Pilot
  • 2006-2014 Honda Ridgeline

The affected vehicles had previously received a driver air bag inflator or air bag module replacement as part of a massive recall of defective Takata air bags affecting many different automakers.

The defect

According to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration report filed March 11, replacement driver air bag inflators or air bag modules had been installed in the affected vehicles as part of a previous Takata inflator recall. Due to a manufacturing error, in the event of a crash in which the air bag is activated, the inflator may explode, resulting in sharp metal fragments striking the driver, front seat passenger or other occupants, potentially resulting in serious injury or death.

Car and Driver said this latest recall came about after a crash involving a 2004 Odyssey, in which the driver’s arm was bruised. This happened after the company learned that the Takata replacement, a driver’s-side inflator that is supposed to resist moisture, had ruptured due to “excessive moisture” present at the Takata factory in Mexico.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the Takata air bag recall, which has been going on for over 10 years, involved over 37 million vehicles built by 19 automakers. At least 22 people were killed and hundreds permanently disfigured when the air bags exploded after deployment, spraying them with deadly shrapnel.

Timeline of events

Honda began using the Takata-made driver-side air bag inflators June 2014 as part of a regional safety improvement campaign. By March 2015, when the scope of the original Takata recall expanded, Honda began obtaining remedy air bag inflators from other manufacturers to supplement its supply of replacement parts.

Honda instructed dealers to stop installing the Takata inflators July 2016, and stopped ordering the replacement parts from Takata.

On March 21, 2018, Honda was informed of the Jan. 19, 2018 crash in which the driver air bag inflator had allegedly ruptured during air bag deployment; an initial incident report was then submitted to NHTSA March 23. A joint field inspection April 10 confirmed the driver air bag inflator had ruptured, and a final rupture incident report was sent to NHTSA.

From mid-April to early-February 2019, Honda continued its investigation in conjunction with the air bag inflator supplier and NHTSA. Ultimately, examination of the replacement parts did not turn up any conclusive explanation of the factors that led to the over-pressurization found in these inflators, with Honda concluding that all available evidence suggested a manufacturing anomaly.

Honda met with NHTSA Feb. 15 to share the results of the investigation. The automaker then decided on March 6 that a defect existed, launching the recall process as a result. As of March 16, Honda had received only one injury claim related to this issue.

The solution

Honda will notify owners beginning April 17, and dealers – which are already prepared to begin repairs – will replace the driver’s air bag inflator with another inflator from an alternative supplier, free of charge.

Is your vehicle part of the recall?

Over 1.1 million vehicles were originally part of this recall. As of October 12, 2020 – the last date information was available – 541,670 airbags had been replaced. To see if your car still needs to be repaired, use MotorSafety’s free lookup tool.

Sean ReyesHonda Recalls Over 1.1 Million Vehicles Equipped With Faulty Takata Air Bag Inflators
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