OREANDA-NEWS. Honda will voluntarily expand a regional Safety Improvement Campaign initiated in June 2014 (NHTSA No. 14V-351) into a national Safety Improvement Campaign affecting certain 2001 through 2011 Honda and Acura vehicles in the United States to replace the driver frontal airbag inflator, free of charge. Honda is expanding this Safety Improvement Campaign to address concerns raised by its customers whose vehicles were not included in the regional campaign.  With this expansion, a total of approximately 5.4 million vehicles (including vehicles previously included in the regional action) will be covered by 14V-351. Vehicles already repaired pursuant to 14V-351 will not require further repair.

As part of an ongoing industry investigation, Honda has been working in cooperation with Takata, the supplier of the airbag inflators, and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to remove and test frontal airbag inflators installed in certain Honda and Acura vehicles in 11 U.S. states and territories (Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands). Honda has been participating in that investigation because of an apparent correlation between the long term exposure to high absolute humidity, which is common in most of those states and territories, and the possibility that a frontal airbag inflator produced by Takata could produce excessive internal pressure upon deployment and then rupture. If a driver frontal airbag inflator ruptures, metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material possibly causing serious injury or fatality to vehicle occupants.

To date, Takata's testing of driver frontal airbag inflators removed from vehicles subject to 14V-351 has not yet resulted in any abnormal deployments. Honda is aware of a May 2014 rupture of a driver frontal airbag inflator in a vehicle in California that was not covered by any of the driver frontal airbag recalls initiated between 2008 and 2011. Neither Honda nor Takata has made a determination that a safety defect exists in the driver frontal airbag inflators that are installed in vehicles included in the expanded 14V-351. Honda hopes that the expansion of this action nationwide will both address customer concerns and further assist in the ongoing industry investigation of abnormal airbag deployments in the vehicles from all affected manufacturers.

Honda is announcing this action to encourage owners to take their vehicles to an authorized Honda or Acura dealer as soon as they receive notification from Honda or Acura. Mailed notification to customers in the original regional Safety Improvement Campaign began in September, and additional mailed notification letters will be sent to registered owners over time, prioritized by geographic area in the order of highest perceived risk.The most-updated available consumer information about this action is obtainable at www.recalls.honda.com and www.recalls.acura.com or by calling (800) 999-1009 for Honda owners or (800) 382-2238 for Acura owners, and selecting option 4.

Summary of Affected Models (Certain specific vehicles only):

    2001-2007 Honda Accord with 4-cylinder engines

  • 2001-2002 Honda Accord  with V6 engines
  • 2001-2005 Honda Civic
  • 2002-2006 Honda CR-V
  • 2003-2011 Honda Element
  • 2002-2004 Honda Odyssey
  • 2003-2007 Honda Pilot
  • 2006 Honda Ridgeline
  • 2003-2006 Acura MDX
  • 2002-2003 Acura TL
  • 2002 Acura CL