Honda recalls 750,000 US vehicles due to airbag defect, urges prompt action

Honda Motor Co announced on Tuesday that it is recalling 750,000 vehicles in the United States, citing a potential defect involving airbags that could unintentionally deploy during a crash.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) revealed that the front passenger seat weight sensor may crack and short circuit, leading to a failure in suppressing the airbag as intended.

The recall encompasses specific models, including Honda Pilot, Accord, and Civic vehicles from the model years 2020-2022, as well as certain Honda CR-V and Passport vehicles from 2020 and 2021.

The safety concern revolves around the possibility of the airbags not deploying correctly due to the defect of the front passenger seat weight sensor.

The NHTSA emphasised that dealers would replace the seat weight sensors to address the issue. Honda, in a statement filed with the safety regulator, reported 3,834 warranty claims related to the defect.

Despite this, no reported injuries or deaths have been associated with the recall issue since June 2020.

The company urged vehicle owners to respond promptly to the recall notice to ensure their safety and the proper functioning of the airbags in the affected models.

To shed light on the origin of the defect, Honda informed the NHTSA that, after a natural disaster impacted a subcontractor's manufacturing plant, a temporary change in the base material of the printed circuit board in the seat weight sensor occurred.

The alternative material used during this period "could allow additional strain to the printed circuit board," according to Honda's explanation.

Honda's recall follows a similar move by Toyota Motor in December when the latter recalled 1.12 million vehicles globally due to a short circuit in a sensor that could lead to airbags not deploying as designed.

In the same month, Honda issued another massive recall, covering 4.5 million vehicles worldwide, over concerns related to fuel pump failure.

This recall affected 2.54 million vehicles in the US.

(With inputs from Reuters)