Honda is recalling around 784,000 vehicles in Japan for faulty Takata airbag inflators, according toReuters.
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Among the affected models are the Odyssey minivan, Fit subcompact, and Civic sedan with production dates ranging between 2003 and 2009. Honda will replace the passenger-side airbags as part of the campaign.
To date, manufacturers have recalled more than 100 million vehicles around the world due to Takata airbag inflators that can explode with too much force and send metal shrapnel throughout the cabin. The airbags have been linked to more than 100 injuries and 13 deaths worldwide.
Although Takata sells airbags to many different automakers, Honda is Takata's biggest customer and has suffered the most from the fallout. Meanwhile, Takata is in much worse shape as recall costs grow higher. It is currently seeking financial backers, and Chinese auto supplier Ningbo Joyson Electronic Corp. is reportedly one of its suitors.
Japanese authorities are working to make sure Takata airbags without a drying agent are gone by March 2019. The supplier has been adding drying agents to new airbags with ammonium nitrate to help absorb moisture and extend the inflator's shelf life.
Since the scandal broke, Honda has stepped up as one of the automakers to ban Takata airbags on future models.
Source: Reuters
When I tell people I write about cars, the most common reply I receive is “Really?” I guess I never strike people as a car type as I drive down the freeway in the right lane going 60 mph in my old SUV. My gripes about driving in city traffic and fast drivers don’t help my case, either. For a time, the only cars I liked were old cars. Not old as in "classic" or "vintage," but as in well-worn. My first appreciation of cars came when I drove a very old Ford pickup. It wasn't perfect: I used a booster seat to reach the gas pedal, and the turn signal once fell off in my hand as I was learning to drive. But the thing I valued most was the memories. It took several years for me to truly become a "car person." Being a long-time writer and an avid reader has helped me develop a healthy curiosity and a desire to know how things work. This has made cars one of the most fascinating points of study for me because they are such intricate machines. I am interested in how cars can reach 200 mph, how they can run on hydrogen, and how they can drive and park on their own. I also enjoy learning how cars can solve problems whether it be in the form of reducing pollution, minimizing traffic, or helping people stay connected on the road. Yes, maybe I’m not a gearhead. Perhaps I’m a car nerd. Either way, I very much enjoy writing about cars and helping people stay in tune with the automotive industry. I wouldn't want to be writing about anything else. And don’t get me wrong: I know how to drool over a hot car. I am fascinated by the Tesla Model S, awed by the Lamborghini Veneno, and am hopelessly obsessed with the Audi R8.
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