Honda (NYSE: HMC) is recalling another one million vehicles – including nearly 84,000 in Canada – because of faulty airbags.
In a news release, Honda said the Takata airbag inflator could be dangerous. The same air bag inflator has been behind previous recalls by the car manufacturer. Documents posted Monday show that Honda is recalling many of its most popular models for a second time due to the persistent airbag problem.
The recall covers certain Honda and Acura models largely in the U.S. and Canada. Included in the recall are the 2001 to 2007 and 2009 Honda Accord, the 2001 to 2005 Civic, the 2002 to 2007 and 2010 and 2011 CR-V, the 2003 to 2011 Element, the 2007 Fit, the 2002 to 2004 Odyssey, the 2003 to 2008 Pilot, and the 2006 to 2014 Ridgeline pickup truck.
Also included are certain 2003 Acura 3.2CL cars, as well as the 2013 to 2016 ILX, the 2003 to 2006 MDX, the 2007 to 2016 RDX, the 2002 to 2003 3.2TL, the 2004 to 2006 and 2009 to 2014 TL, and the 2010 to 2013 ZDX.
Honda said it is recalling 83,977 vehicles in Canada and 10 times as many vehicles in the United States. The company said it will notify owners by mail. Owners will be instructed to take their vehicle to a dealership to have the front driver side airbag inflator replaced.
Takata used ammonium nitrate to inflate air bags. The chemical can deteriorate when exposed to high temperatures and humidity, blowing apart a metal canister and hurling shrapnel. At least 23 people have been killed worldwide because of the defect.
The inflators in the latest recall, announced Tuesday, contain a moisture-absorbing chemical called a desiccant that was added to keep the ammonium nitrate stable. They were believed to be safe and were used to replace older inflators under recalls that began in 2014.
The Takata airbag recalls represent the largest series of automotive recalls in U.S. history, with as many as 70 million inflators to be recalled by the end of next year (2020). About 100 million inflators have been recalled worldwide to date.
