Honda India has announced that units of the 2003 Honda Accord and CR-V and a single unit of the 2002 Honda CR-V have been recalled to replace the passenger-side airbag inflator installed on them. The recall is a part of a larger global recall which encompasses the aforementioned cars and the Jazz hatchback too. The airbag defect is not limited to Honda only, it affects cars from Nissan, BMW and Toyota too. The problem lies with the airbag inflators provided to the companies by component maker Takata Corporation, which has its headquarters in Japan. About 7 million cars will be recalled worldwide to replace airbag components, and as of now 1338 units of those affected are in India. The number may increase in the coming days as other manufacturers may announce recalls too.
Airbag inflators have a mixture of volatile chemicals that help inflate the airbag in a very short period in case of a collision. Takata Corporation is reported to have mishandled the manufacture of propellants and of improperly stored the chemicals making the airbag inflator unit potentially explosive and releasing debris which could injure the passengers inside the car.
Honda India has stated that there have been no reports of improper deployment of the passenger-side airbags in any of the concerned cars in India, and the recall is a preventive measure to ensure nothing untoward happens. The airbag inflator module have to be replaced in 1085 units of the 2003 Honda Accord, 252 units of the 2003 Honda CR-V and a single unit of the 2002 Honda CR-V sold in India. The part will be replaced free of cost at any Honda dealership across the country and the company will directly contact owners in phased manner.
Customers can check if their cars are affected by going to this link and entering the 17-charcter VIN number of their car.
Is your car affected by this recall? If yes, do let us know your experience of the whole process in the comments section below.
