Takata Airbag Recall: Honda Calls Back 784,000 Vehicles In Japan

Honda Motor Corp. is recalling 784,000 vehicles in Japan over faulty Takata Corp. airbag inflators — the latest fallout over the controversy-hit company’s defective inflators. This recall covers the Odyssey minivan, Accord sedan, Clarity fuel cell and other models, reported the Associated Press.

Last Thursday six automakers had announced the recall of nearly 2.5 million vehicles in the United States. The week before that, 12 million and seven million vehicles were recalled in the U.S. and Japan respectively.

The Takata inflators contain ammonium nitrate, which can deteriorate over time when exposed to moisture and high temperatures. Some defective airbags lack a chemical drying agent required to prevent them from getting damaged.

Excessive internal pressure in the defective airbags can cause metal inflators to burst. There have been instances of shrapnel from within the inflator puncturing the airbag and causing injury or death. The defect has been linked to at least 13 deaths and more than 100 injuries have been reported worldwide.

The Japanese automaker said the recall was in response to a recent decision by the Japanese government in which Takata agreed to add up to 40 million air bag inflators to the recall. The airbag manufacturer, however, has not been able to produce enough replacement parts to keep up with the recalls, which may expand further.

Honda Motor Co. Ltd. shares were down 1.73 percent whereas Takata shares were down 1.83 percent when markets closed Thursday.