The famous automobile company Honda has recalled 1.1 million vehicles as part of an ongoing recall of the Takata airbags from multiple carmakers. The Takata airbags have a faulty inflator causing the airbag to explode unexpectedly. The recall of 1.1 million Honda and Acura vehicles has been announced today.
According to a statement from Honda, ‘The automotive industry is facing an unprecedented challenge in the recall and replacement of millions of Takata airbag inflators. We want to assure you that Honda is committed to addressing the needs and concerns of our customers with vehicles affected by this issue. We stand behind the safety and quality of our products. The protection of the drivers and passengers in our vehicles is our utmost concern, and we urge all owners of affected vehicles to seek repair immediately.’
The company is providing repairs free of cost at authorized Acura and Honda dealers. A detailed list of the Honda and Acura models that have been recalled is readily available on an informational website that Honda has set up. The recent recall was triggered after an accident that involved a Honda Minivan in Maryland. This is the region where the Takata airbags in Honda vehicles were considered to be defect-free.
The Takata airbags that are being recalled rely on ammonium nitrate for inflating the airbag in case of an accident by creating a small explosion. The problem? The chemical deteriorates over time because of humidity and heat resulting in the housing canister to rupture, sending shrapnel into the passenger compartment. This has caused the death of 23 persons while sending hundreds to the hospital.
The Takata airbag recalls accounts for the biggest recall effort that has ever happened in the US automotive history. By the end of the year, about 70 million airbag inflators shall be recalled, and about 100 million inflators will be recalled from all over the world.