Honda Recalls Over 750,000 Vehicles Due to Air Bag Defect

In a recent announcement, Honda has issued a recall for more than 750,000 vehicles across various models, including cars, SUVs, minivans, and pickups. The recall is related to an air bag defect that could lead to the deployment of airbags when they should not deploy, posing a potential safety risk to occupants.

Details of the Recall

The affected models include popular vehicles such as the Honda Civic, Accord, CR-V, Fit, HR-V, Insight, Odyssey, Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline, as well as the Acura MDX, RDX, and TLX. These vehicles span model years between 2020 and 2022.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the flaw in the vehicles’ airbag system could result in the deployment of frontal and knee airbags during a crash when deployment should not occur. This defect poses a particular risk to infants in car seats, children, and individuals smaller than 4 feet 11 inches.

The issue stems from a capacitor in the printed circuit board of the front passenger seat weight sensor, which may crack and lead to an internal short circuit due to exposure to environmental humidity. The problem originated with a supplier that changed the base material of the circuit board following a natural disaster.

No Reported Injuries or Deaths

As of date Honda has received no reports of injuries or fatalities related to the airbag defect. However, Honda, mentioned in a statement filed with the safety regulator, it had 3,834 warranty claims, and that there were no reports of injuries or deaths related to the recall issue since June 2020.

Vehicles Affected by the Recall

The specific vehicles affected by the recall include:

• 2020-2022 Honda Accord
• 2020-2021 Honda Accord Hybrid
• 2020 Honda Civic 2-door
• 2020-2022 Honda Civic 4-door
• 2021-2022 Honda Civic hatchback
• 2021 Honda Civic Type R
• 2020-2021 Honda CR-V
• 2020-2021 Honda CR-V Hybrid
• 2020 Honda Fit
• 2020-2022 Honda HR-V
• 2021 Honda Insight
• 2020-2022 Honda Odyssey
• 2020-2022 Honda Pilot
• 2020-2021 Honda Passport
• 2020-2021 Honda Ridgeline
• 2020 Acura MDX
• 2022 Acura MDX
• 2020-2022 Acura RDX
• 2020-2021 Acura TLX

Next steps for affected owners

Affected owners can expect to receive notifications starting March 18th and are advised to take their vehicles to Honda and Acura dealers for replacement of the faulty part. It’s worth noting that only 1% of the recalled vehicles are likely to have the defect, according to NHTSA.

Previous recalls

This recall adds to a series of recent recalls in the auto industry related to safety issues. In December, Honda recalled over 2.5 million vehicles due a fuel pump defect. And there were other recalls last year involving missing seat belt parts, manufacturing errors, and problems with side-view mirrors and seat belts.

Similarly, other automakers such as Toyota and BMW have issued recalls over airbag-related concerns, emphasizing the importance of addressing these safety issues promptly and accurately.

Conclusion

In light of the recall, Honda is taking proactive steps to address the air bag defect and ensure the safety of its customers. Affected owners are encouraged to act on the notifications received and promptly visit Honda and Acura dealers for necessary repairs.