Honda and Takata have not said a defect exists in the driver airbag inflators. Nor is there a way to quantify how many lives were saved by the airbags.
Honda is expanding its Takata airbag recall (NHTSA 14V-351) of 2001 through 2011 Honda and Acura vehicles to include 88,549 Pilot SUVs from the 2008 model year, and more 2004 Civic and 2001 Accord cars. This is the first time 2008 Pilot models will be repaired because the Takata airbag inflators release shrapnel into passenger compartments. (See Honda Pays Largest NHTSA Fine in History for Takata and other Safety Cover Ups)
Some 2001 Accord and 2004 Civic cars were previously recalled. This is the first time 2008 Pilot models are included. Past airbag deployments have killed or injured vehicle occupants.
Since 2008, ten of the largest vehicle manufacturers in the world that use Takata air bags have recalled more than 10 million cars in the United States – more than 17 million globally – to replace inflators. Potentially, enough vehicles are involved to severely hurt Takata’s financial results, if not put it out of business entirely.
The latest recall in the ongoing Takata controversy will be identified separately by the NHTSA as No. 15V-153. The same repair, replacement of the driver front airbag inflator, free of charge as required by U.S. regulations, will apply to these additional vehicles in what is a growing nationwide action.
Neither Honda nor Takata has said that a safety defect exists in the driver front airbag inflators that are installed in vehicles included in 14V-351 or 15V-153.
Swedish Autoliv, a global automotive safety supplier, says it now has agreements with “several different OEM’s for new supply capacity of up to 25 million airbag inflators for delivery during 2015 and 2016.” This of course is a direct fallout from the Takata airbag inflator recall.
