In June 2014, Takata acknowledged that their airbags needed to be recalled because of random explosions with bits acting like flying shrapnel. Takata could not identify which vehicle manufacturers and cars needed to be recalled at the time. Fast forward to May 2015 and 33,800,000 vehicles have been recalled and the list of manufacturers has grown: BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Acura/Honda, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, and Toyota.
Each manufacturer has been working assiduously with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to figure out which of their vehicle’s airbags need to be replaced.
Today, June 2, 2015, Takata Executive Vice President of North America Kevin Kennedy went in front of the House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing. At a House Energy and Commerce subcommittee hearing, Takata Executive Vice President of North America Kevin Kennedy talked about which airbags will be phased out and how long it will take to replace all the airbags.
Which Acura and Honda cars recalled because of Takata airbags?
How do you know whether your vehicle airbag needs to be replaced? Six fatalities and more than 100 injuries have been linked to the Takata airbag disaster.
Honda has listened to NHTSA and made an official recall, 14V-700, of the Hondas that are in the immediate risk areas that have consistently hot, humid conditions over extended periods of time. You will need to check your Acura, or Honda, Vin code but these are the affected models:
Make/Model
Honda Accord (4-cylinder) All 2001-2007 model year
Honda Accord (V6) All 2001-2002 model year
Honda Civic All 2001-2005 model year
Honda CR-V All 2002-2006 model year
Honda Element All 2003-2011 model year
Honda Odyssey All 2002-2004 model year
Honda Pilot All 2002-2007 model year
Honda Ridgeline All 2006 model year
Acura MDX All 2003-2006 model year
Acura TL/CL All 2002-2003 model year
Acura RL All 2005 model year
From Honda:
“Honda is currently reviewing the new information and developing an updated list of affected vehicles for the VIN lookup on this website. As a result, we ask that you check the website again after June 15 for an updated list of vehicles.”
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
Honda Automobile Customer Service
(800) 999-1009, Option 4, toll-free Monday through Friday 6:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific
Acura Client Relations
(800) 382-2238, Option 4, toll-free
Monday through Friday
6:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Vehicle Safety Hotline (888) 327-4236 toll-free safercar.gov
If you want to know if your vehicle is affected by the Takata airbag, go to safercar.gov and check your vehicle’s VIN number.
Condition:
Certain Honda and Acura vehicles operated in areas that are known for high absolute humidity may contain a driver’s (frontal) airbag inflator that could produce excessive internal pressure. If an airbag deploys with excessive internal pressure, it may cause the inflator to rupture. In the event of an inflator rupture, metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.
Timeline:
Aug 6, 2013 – Honda received a claim via an NHTSA Hotline complaint of an energetic deployment of a driver’s airbag inflator in Florida, outside of the previous recall range. This is the only occurrence outside of the recall range in a Honda or Acura vehicle.
Oct 10, 2013 – Honda inspected the vehicle involved in the allegation of the energetic airbag deployment and confirmed the affected airbag module serial number.
Oct 22, 2013 – Honda and Takata began a joint investigation with the manufacturer of the airbag inflator.
Jan 22, 2014 – Honda and Takata provided an interim investigation report to NHTSA 001 and continued investigating potential causes of the inflator rupture.
Jan-Jun, 2014 – Honda and Takata conducted part collection and analysis, focusing on the same production lot as the ruptured inflator.
May 2014 – Takata received approval from the owner of the vehicle that experienced the inflator rupture to conduct material testing and other analysis on the parts retrieved from the vehicle.
Jun 13, 2014 – NHTSA contacted Honda to discuss the possibility of conducting a safety improvement campaign to support the ongoing investigation of the cause of energetic driver’s airbag inflators, focusing on locations in the U.S. that experience high absolute humidity levels and high temperatures.
