Honda is adding 1.4 million cars, SUVs, and trucks to its list of vehicles that should have their Takata airbags replaced. Included in the airbag recall list are vehicles branded as Acura, Honda’s luxury brand, according to the automaker.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Takata recall covers airbag inflators from 19 different automotive manufacturers. The Honda recalls are the fourth part of a five-phase plan announced by the NHTSA in May of 2016. The Takata inflators have resulted in the largest series of automotive recalls in U.S. history, covering 37 million vehicles and about 50 million inflators.
Takata airbags are defectively designed because they use ammonium nitrate as an airbag propellant. Ammonium nitrate is dangerously unstable and highly sensitive to temperature changes and moisture. It has been known for decades that ammonium nitrate undergoes thermal cycling that leads to degradation, which makes the ammonium nitrate more susceptible to detonation.
Honda spokespersons stated it will recall 1.4 million U.S. cars to replace the Takata front passenger airbag inflators. The company says the recall is part of an attempt to get ahead of a government-mandated schedule of recalls on the Japanese-made air bags. Honda says it is ahead of schedule with more than 77 percent of existing recalls repaired. Honda says owners of the vehicles should schedule the free repair at authorized dealerships as soon as possible.
Benny Agosto, Jr. is a partner at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner in Houston, Texas. For over 68 years, Abraham Watkins has successfully represented injured people and families who fall victim to catastrophes. Our attorneys have the knowledge, experience and resources necessary to obtain just compensation their clients. For more information, please contact the office of Benny Agosto, Jr. at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner, by letter at 800 Commerce Street, Houston, Texas 77002, or by phone at (713) 222-7211 or 713-222-7211.