BREAKING: NHTSA Issues Emergency Notice for Certain Takata Airbag-Equipped Vehicles; Rupture Rate is 50 Percent

Steph Willems
by Steph Willems

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration broke from its orderly recall of potentially dangerous Takata airbags today to warn drivers of certain 2001–2003 Honda and Acura models.

New tests show a certain subset of the faulty airbags, linked to 14 deaths worldwide, have a much higher risk of exploding in the event of an accident — a likelihood of up to 50 percent. The NHTSA is urging owners of these vehicles to avoid driving them.

Because of the age of the models, the agency issued an appeal to the public to help track down unrepaired vehicles.

The affected models are: 2001–2002 Honda Civic and Accord, 2002–2003 Acura TL, 2002 Honda CR-V, 2002 Honda Odyssey, 2003 Acura CL, and 2003 Honda Pilot.

The list comprises about 313,000 vehicles which came from the factory with a manufacturing defect in their airbag inflators. These models were recalled for the defect between 2008 and 2011, but only 70 percent of the vehicles actually returned to be fixed.

According to the NHTSA: “Ruptures are far more likely in inflators in vehicles that spent significant periods of time in areas of high absolute humidity — particularly Florida, Texas and other parts of the Gulf Coast. By comparison, testing performed on similarly aged recalled Takata inflators that do not have the same manufacturing defect shows rupture rates at less than one percent.”

Using uncharacteristically dire language, the NHTSA stated, “The risk posed by the airbag inflators in these vehicles is grave, and it is critical they be repaired now to avoid more deaths and serious injuries.”

The agency asks for the public and the media’s help in finding the remaining vehicles, and urges owners to visit SaferCar.gov to check whether their vehicle underwent the earlier recall.

Roughly 70 million Takata airbag inflators have so far been recalled, though these models are an urgent priority. Studies show that time, temperature and humidity degrades the ammonium nitrate propellant inside the inflators, which can cause the airbags to explode during a crash and send shrapnel into the vehicle’s occupants.

Steph Willems
Steph Willems

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  • Ryoku75 Ryoku75 on Jul 01, 2016

    Hondas always had airbag issues, before Takata it was issues with the SRS computer, issues that m8ght make them simply not activate. Of course it doesnt help that 80% of them are patched up wrecks.

    • See 1 previous
    • Ryoku75 Ryoku75 on Jul 01, 2016

      @kvndoom What happened? A doors not too bad in my book, its when entire front ends are replaced, back ends, or even when two car halfs are pieced together to make one. Its cases like that where you wonder how safe a car really is.

  • Firestorm 500 Firestorm 500 on Jul 01, 2016

    Does anybody know if the front passenger and/or the side airbags are affected with the exploding propellant? 2002 Honda Accord. My driver's airbag has already been replaced.

    • See 1 previous
    • Firestorm 500 Firestorm 500 on Jul 01, 2016

      @Zykotec Well I called my local Honda dealer. They are of the "opinion" that the side air bags are not affected. They said the passenger airbag replacement goes by VIN. Honda will send me a notice if they want to replace it. I'm in Arkansas. I can assure you we are every bit as humid as Texas, Florida, and the Gulf Coast. Sometimes more. Year-round. Actually, Texas west of Dallas/Ft. Worth is pretty dry. Don't crash.

  • Master Baiter I'm skeptical of any project with government strings attached. I've read that the new CHIPS act which is supposed to bring semiconductor manufacturing back to the U.S. is so loaded with DEI requirements that companies would rather not even bother trying to set up shop here. Cheaper to keep buying from TSMC.
  • CanadaCraig VOTE NO VW!
  • Joe This is called a man in the middle attack and has been around for years. You can fall for this in a Starbucks as easily as when you’re charging your car. Nothing new here…
  • AZFelix Hilux technical, preferably with a swivel mount.
  • ToolGuy This is the kind of thing you get when you give people faster internet.
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