Honda Expands Defective Airbag Recall

Cleveland, OHAs anyone who has suffered from airbag injuries can tell you, having properly working side impact airbags and steering wheel airbags is vital to safety. People with defective airbags can suffer serious injury, both in cases when the airbag fails to deploy and in situations where the airbag deploys without reason. A recent airbag recall highlights the dangers of defective airbags.

Honda recently announced it was recalling certain cars in which the driver's airbag inflator pumped too much air into the bag, which can result in the airbag rupturing, sending metallic components through the airbag and into the air. According to NewsNet5 (12/29/11), 12 injuries and one death have been linked to the defective airbag inflators. Honda recently expanded its recall because 640 inflators have not been accounted for and may have been used as replacement parts. An additional 272,000 vehicles have been added to the recall.

Honda vehicles affected by the recall are 2001-2002 Accords, 2001-2003 Civics, 2002-2003 CR-Vs, 2001-2003 Odysseys, 2003 Pilots, 2002-2003 Acura 3.2 TLs and 2003 Acura 3.2 CLs.

Honda has also issued a Stop Sale order to franchised dealers on any used vehicles that may have a faulty airbag.

According to USA Today (12/20/11), Honda's airbag recall began in November 2008, but was expanded numerous times to include more vehicles. The Associated Press (12/20/11) notes that one victim was seriously injured when her airbags deployed while she was stopped at a traffic light, even though there was no crash. The woman was struck by flying shrapnel, which severed her neck artery. As a result of the injury, she spent weeks in the hospital and suffered from a stroke. She eventually recovered from her injuries.

In 2009, an 18-year-old died from injuries sustained after she was hit by metal fragments from the airbag in her 2001 Accord. The victim, Ashley Parham, was reportedly involved in a minor car accident, but her airbag deployed, sending metal shards through the air. Those shards punctured her chest and neck, causing her to bleed to death.

Detroit News (12/03/11) notes that as of the December recall, Honda had recalled 2.53 million vehicles in the US because of faulty airbags.