Japanese Automakers Recall More than 3 Million for Air Bag Defects

Honda, Nissan, and Toyota are together recalling more than 3 million vehicles around the world for faulty air bags that may inflict injury to those in the front passenger seat. The recall is the largest ever for air bags built by the Takata Corporation, the world’s second largest producer of the safety harnesses, which all three Japanese makers use in their cars. A manufacturing error has been identified as the source of the issue, which could cause front passenger airbags to inflate improperly.

The airbags were reportedly made in the Takata factory in Mexico between 2000 and 2002, and included a defective propellant for the bags’ inflators. A worker in the factory allegedly neglected to engage the system designed to weed out faulty products, leading them to be installed into vehicles. Some parts were also improperly stored, allowing exposure to humidity. These errors led to issues that could cause the bags to inflate violently and with enough force to inflict injury on passengers seated in the front passenger seat, or to ignite a fire.

For Honda, more than 1.1 million vehicles are affected by the recall, including 680,000 sold in the US, 270,000 in Japan, and 64,000 in Europe. Included are the Civic, CR-V, and Odyssey models from the 2001 through 2003 years. According to a statement released by the auto maker, “It is possible that the passenger front airbag inflators in affected vehicles may deploy with too much pressure, which may cause the inflator to rupture and could result in injury.” Honda announced that they were aware of one crash in which the airbags deployed with too much gusto, though no injuries were reported.

Nissan is recalling some 480,000 vehicles worldwide. Vehicles sold in the US and Europe are to be included, though their number has not been specified. Model included are the Cube, X-Trail (sold only in Japan), Maxima, and Teana, built from August 2000 through January 2004.

Toyota will recall more than 1.7 million, with 580,000 having been sold in the US, 490,000 in Europe, and 320,000 in Japan. Affected are the Corolla, Tundra, and Lexus SC from the 2000 through 2004 model years. The maker has received five reports of improperly inflating airbags, two in the US and three in Japan, though none resulted in injury.

All three makers are offering repairs for affected vehicles at no cost to owners. Notices are set to be sent within the coming weeks, instructing owners to take their vehicles to the nearest dealership, where a mechanic will inspect the front passenger airbag and replace it with a newer model.

Air bag issues have been a shared concern for many of the world’s largest automakers, particularly Honda, who also recalled nearly 750,000 crossovers and minivans for missing rivets that could also cause improper inflation in the event of a crash. Settling these widespread issues is a primary concern for the automotive industry, as air bags serve as the first line of defense against the forces of an impact. Malfunctioning, this most essential safety component can become a danger in and of itself, turning an already dangerous scene into a potentially fatal one.