Honda recalls 833,000 vehicles for airbag problem, again

Honda issued the initial recall for airbags that open with so much force that metal parts of the airbag assembly could blast through the airbag, injuring whoever is making contact with the airbag. The first recall of this nature was issued in 2008 and since then, a similar recall has been issued or expanded several times. The most recent 833,000 vehicles being recalleare not actually a continuation of the original recall, as the newly recalled models were not subject to the initial recall. Instead, these 833,000 vehicles may have been equipped with a faulty airbag module as a result of service repairs or a replacement after an accident – resulting in a similar issue to those vehicles that were equipped with a problematic airbag module from the factory.

Honda says that this new recall affects select 2001 and 2002 Honda Accords and Civics, 2002 Honda Odyssey minivans, 2002 and 2003 CR-V compact SUVs, 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TLs and 2003 Acura 3.2 CL models. Honda believes that there have been around 2,430 faulty airbag modules installed at service stations around the country but since Honda doesn’t know which vehicles received these failing modules, they are recalling every vehicle that could have gotten one of them.

This new Honda airbag recall will officially begin later this month when owners will be asked via snail mail to return to their local dealerships. In the mailer from Honda, there is a postcard that the owner can send back if they are 100% certain that the airbag in their vehicle has never been replaced. Since these new airbag troubles related specifically to components made for the replacement market, only vehicles that have had their airbag system replaced are subject to the problem. Also, Honda urges that those people who may own one of the recalled vehicles but has not had the vehicle serviced, contact their local dealership to have their airbag system inspected and repaired. Over the past year, these dangerous airbags have reportedly caused about a dozen injuries and one death.

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Honda recalls 2011 Odyssey minivans – again
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