Honda, Nissan and Mazda recalling 3 million vehicles for airbag inflators [UPDATE]

UPDATE: Honda, Mazda and Nissan have all issued statements about the airbag issue, which you can now find below. Interestingly, only Honda is actually using the word "recall" in its statement, with Nissan calling it a "field action" (like Chrysler), and Mazda referring to it as a "special service program." Honda has also added various Accord, Pilot and Ridgeline models to the list, as well as Acura MDX, TL and CL. Mazda, meanwhile, has added certain Mazdaspeed6 and MPV vehicles to its list. We expect a full list of Nissan vehicles later this week.

Three million more vehicles can be added to the worldwide tally to be repaired for the faulty airbag inflators supplied by Takata. Honda, Nissan, and Mazda have all issued recalls to replace the bad part, including about 1.2 million of them in North America. NHTSA has been investigating all three companies, plus Chrysler and Toyota, for potentially affected vehicles.

Honda is recalling roughly 1.02 million Civic, CR-V, Odyssey and Element models In North America, built between April 2000 and October 2002. Mazda needs to repair 14,794 units of the RX-8 and Mazda6, and Nissan has 228,000 vehicles in North America to be fixed.

Chrysler is also starting what it calls a "regional field action" to replace the inflators in the 2006 Dodge Charger, according to a company spokesperson. The company says that it has not yet found the problem in any of its vehicles, but it's being done "out of an abundance of caution." The final number of Chargers affected will be announced later this week.

The faulty component was originally discovered in April 2013 when the four Japanese automakers recalled 3.4 million vehicles worldwide, and the situation reignited on June 11, 2014, when Toyota announced 844,277 vehicles in the United States needed to be fixed for the same problem. According to Automotive News, Honda reported that there have been two deaths and 41 ruptures in the US linked to the bad parts, and in NHTSA's preliminary evaluation, it reported six other incidents of the issue occurring.

To prompt the recall, the inflators contain a potentially defective propellant that can cause them to explode when the airbag is meant to deploy. Not only does this affect the bag's inflation, there is also the possibility of shrapnel from the part hitting occupants. According to Automotive News, the problems may stem from the propellant being exposed to moisture during storage.

Autoblog has reached to all three automakers and Takata for more detailed information on the affected models. We will update this story as we hear back from each of them. Scroll down to read the entire statement from Chrylser. Show full PR text Statement: Regional Field Action

June 23, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Chrysler Group has agreed, in principle, to honor a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) request to replace airbag inflators in certain vehicles registered in four U.S. regions.

This is not a safety recall. Chrysler Group has not identified a defect. This is a field action conducted out of an abundance of caution.

The action, expected to receive final approval this week in accordance with Chrysler Group protocol, follows consultation with NHTSA and other automobile manufacturers that use the same airbag inflator.

The Company is aware of a single related injury involving one of its vehicles. The vehicle was equipped with the component, currently under investigation by NHTSA.

The regions affected by Chrysler Group's field action are Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Customers will be advised when they may schedule service. Those with questions or concerns may call Chrysler Group's Customer Information Center at 1-800-853-1403.

Statement by American Honda Regarding Front Airbag Inflator Market Actions 06/23/2014 - TORRANCE, Calif. Honda will voluntarily recall certain vehicles in the United States in three separate market actions to replace one or both front driver's and passenger's airbag inflators, free of charge. Two of the market actions are specific to states and U.S. territories with high absolute humidity. It is possible that front airbag inflators in affected vehicles may deploy with too much pressure, which may cause the inflator casing to rupture and could result in injury. Honda is aware of one claimed injury involving a driver's front airbag. Honda is not aware of any other injuries or fatalities related to these market actions. While the specific number of affected vehicles has not yet been determined, Honda estimates that the three actions will include a total of more than two million vehicles in the United States.

In two of the market actions, Honda is working in cooperation with the manufacturer of the airbag inflators and NHTSA to recall certain vehicles in 10 U.S. states and territories (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands) based on the high absolute humidity levels common to those areas. While the states and territories in which Honda is conducting these actions are broader than those suggested by the manufacturer of the airbag inflators (Florida, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands), Honda has chosen to expand the affected area for these market actions because of similar environmental conditions in those areas.
Summary of actions announced today:

1) Recalling certain 2002-2003 Honda Civic, CR-V and Odyssey; 2003 Honda Accord, Element, Pilot and Acura MDX models to replace the passenger's front airbag inflator, free of charge.
2) Recalling certain models ever registered in, or first sold in, geographic regions known for high absolute humidity (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) to replace the passenger's front airbag inflator, free of charge. Affected models are certain 2003-2005 Honda Accord, Civic, CR-V, Element, and Pilot; 2003-2004 Honda Odyssey; 2003-2005 Acura MDX and 2005 Acura RL models
3) Recalling certain models ever registered in, or first sold in, geographic regions known for high absolute humidity (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands) to replace the driver's front airbag inflator, free of charge. Affected models are: 2001-2007 Honda Accord with 4-cylinder engines 2001-2002 Honda Accord with V6 engines 2001-2005 Honda Civic 2002-2006 Honda CR-V 2003-2011 Honda Element 2002-2004 Honda Odyssey 2003-2007 Honda Pilot 2006 Honda Ridgeline 2003-2006 Acura MDX 2002-2003 Acura TL and CL Honda is announcing these market actions to encourage owners to take their vehicles to an authorized Honda or Acura dealer as soon as they receive notification from Honda or Acura. Mailed notification to customers will begin in late-July, 2014. After that time, the most-updated available consumer information about these market actions will be obtainable atwww.recalls.honda.com and www.recalls.acura.com or by calling (800) 999-1009 for Honda owners or (800) 382-2238 for Acura owners, and selecting option 4.

Nissan Statement

"Nissan is announcing the following field actions concerning Takata front passenger air bags on certain Nissan and Infiniti vehicles. These actions supplement the 2013 recall to replace Takata front passenger air bag inflators in certain Nissan and Infiniti vehicles.

1. Based on new information received from Takata in June 2014, Nissan is adding vehicles that were not included in the 2013 global recall campaign. Certain MY2001 to MY2003 Nissan and Infiniti vehicles are affected by this recall campaign.
2. Nissan will initiate a regional field action in Puerto Rico, Florida, Hawaii, and the Virgin Islands following new information received from Takata and recent consultations with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), based on the high levels of absolute humidity in those areas to replace front passenger air bag inflators manufactured between January 1, 2003 and July 31, 2004. The air bags in this date range were not subject to the Takata Front Passenger Air Bag Global Recall Campaign. Nissan is confirming the potentially affected vehicles based on new information received from Takata. Nissan expects to begin notifying potentially affected customers for inspection (the root of cause investigation) purposes in Puerto Rico, Florida, Hawaii, and the Virgin Islands soon.

Nissan is committed to a high level of customer safety, service and satisfaction and is working with its dealers to promptly address this issue."

MAZDA STATEMENT ON SPECIAL SERVICE PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN MAZDA6, RX-8, MAZDASPEED6, AND MPV VEHICLES WITH AIR BAG INFLATORS SUPPLIED BY TAKATA CORPORATION AND TK HOLDINGS, INC.


WASHINGTON, DC (June 23, 2014) - Mazda North American Operations has notified NHTSA that it plans to voluntarily implement a Special Service Program in limited regions of the United States as a result of several field reports regarding airbag deployments for a variety of vehicle brands equipped with air bag inflators supplied by Takata Corporation and TK Holdings, Inc. On certain vehicles, the air bag may not deploy properly in the event of an accident.

Approximately 34,600 vehicles that were originally sold or are currently registered in Florida, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico are affected.

There is insufficient information at this time to determine the cause of these incidents or if they are related to a safety defect, but Mazda is working with the supplier and NHTSA to investigate these incidents as quickly as possible.

Mazda has determined that the subject vehicles of the SSP are certain model years of the Mazda6, Mazdaspeed6, RX-8, and MPV, which are equipped with similar types of airbag inflators.

Specifically the vehicles are identified as:

2003-2007 MY Mazda6 built from October 4, 2002, through July 31, 2007
2004-2008 MY RX-8 built from April 23, 2003, through July 26, 2007
2006-2007 MY Mazdaspeed6 built from August 25, 2005, through June 28, 2007
2004 MY MPV built from August 21, 2003, through July 28, 2004

Mazda has received one report of a driver injury during airbag deployment.

Owners of record will be notified of this issue and instructed to take their vehicles to a Mazda dealer to replace the air bag inflator with a new one. The work will be performed by Mazda authorized dealers, free of charge to the vehicle owners.

The expected dates for mailing owner notification letters and providing notification to dealers are currently undecided. It will depend on the availability of replacement parts from the supplier.
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