Continental recalls 5m cars on air-bag control units

Mercedes-Benz has already issued a recall for 126,000 C-Class models from 2008 and 2009 for airbag control modules, and Honda has announced that it is recalling 341,000 Accord sedans from the 2008 through 2010 model years.

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

Honda is recalling 2.2 million more cars because of potentially defective airbags. Once this happens, corrosion buildup causes a power failure and the airbags don’t deploy in a crash, or they could randomly deploy when the vehicle hasn’t been in an accident.

Japanese auto giant Honda is to recall 1.2 million vehicles across Europe as part of a 5.7 million worldwide recall involving Takata Corp air bag inflators which can explode and hurl shrapnel into the vehicle.

A United Kingdom spokesman said the models affected in Europe include; CR-V (2007-2011 MY), CR-Z (2011-2015 MY), Jazz (2009-2014 MY) and Insight (2010-2014 MY) and some could be in Britain.

In January 2008, Continental conducted its first round of investigation when a malfunctioning air bag control system was removed from a Mercedes vehicle. The defective modules were installed on Mercedes-Benz, Honda, Fiat Chrysler and potentially other vehicles from 2006 through 2010.

The upcoming recall will affect several brands.

Honda said it received reports of two injuries linked to the flaw.

Honda said, however, that replacement parts are presently scarce and can only be requested for cars with air bag issues and with vehicle damage. It also said there have been 74 injury allegations related to airbags that did not deploy but those aren’t confirmed.