Honda announces another recall for faulty Takata air bags

“Honda on Thursday said it is expanding air-bag recalls to include certain vehicles made between 2007 and 2011 due to a potential problem in a type of driver’s-side air-bag inflater”, The Wall Street Journal said.

But Honda, the number three carmaker in Japan, has been hardest hit with 24.5 million cars recalled – more than half of the global total.

Honda, based on its own analysis of data provided by Takata, found that a variance in the density of gas-producing chemicals in inflators may lead to abnormal deployment of air bags in the future and issued the new recall, according to the spokesman.

The latest recall by Honda is the first under President Takahiro Hachigo, who replaced Takanobu Ito this month after a tenure plagued by quality missteps. Although an exact cause hasn’t been determined, Takata believes that prolonged exposure to airborne moisture and high temperatures can make the air bag propellant, ammonium nitrate, explode with too much force.

North America is not included in this latest recall, Honda said.

Last month, it recalled another 46,710 units of Honda vehicles over potentially faulty Takata airbag inflators affecting four of its models here.

Honda has added 4.5 million vehicles in countries outside the U.S.to the growing list of cars and trucks recalled for Takata air bags that could explode with too much force and spew shrapnel at drivers and passengers.

Although defective Takata airbags have been linked to at least eight deaths and over 100 injuries, Takata says a compensation fund isn’t needed and the company is taking care of victims on an individual basis.

In the USA, the government is seeking to take over management of production and distribution of replacement inflators in an effort to speed the process and prioritize where inflators are sent. Other manufacturers also are making replacement inflators.

To find out if your vehicle is part of the air bag recall, go to https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/ to check using a vehicle identification number.