Honda announced last week that it is recalling 303,904 Accords from the model years 2008 and 2009 because the side air bags could inadvertently deploy. Honda has received 19 reports of injuries from the air bag deployments.
According to Honda, the problem is not related to the widespread problems with Takata air bags that prompted massive recalls of vehicles from automakers including Honda. In the Accord recall, the problem traces to the software’s deployment threshold for side impacts, Autoblog.com reports. The recall action also includes some 20,000 vehicles in Canada and 10,600 in Mexico, as well as cars in the U.S.
If the car’s door is “forcefully slammed” when the ignition is on, the side air bags could deploy, Honda says. Sudden deployments can also occur if there is a strong impact to the underside of the vehicle, as might happen from contact with road debris, according to Autoblog. The problem involves an improperly calibrated sensor and can be corrected with a software update, the New York Times reports. The problem affects both the air curtains, located in the roof above the side windows, which provide head protection, and air bags in the side of the seat that protect the torso, according to the Times.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began investigating the problem last year after receiving injury reports and complaints from Accords owners. Several owners told NHTSA that Honda refused to pay for repairs after the air bags unexpectedly deployed. One owner said Honda had to replace the driver’s seat and the entire headliner plus all of the airbags. The repairs cost $3,600, and were covered by the owner’s insurance policy but the owner had to pay the $1,250 deductible, according to the Times. Honda spokesperson Chris Martin, said owners are now being reimbursed for repairs under the extended warranty.
In a chronology submitted to NHTSA, Honda says that as of October 12, 2015, it had received 19 injury reports, 311 warranty claims, and 160 field reports relating to the unexpected air bag deployments.
A free software update will recalibrate the Supplemental Restraint System. Honda will begin mailing notifications to owners in mid-December. Honda encourages owners of affected vehicles to take them to an authorized dealer for the software fix as soon as they receive the letter. Owners can determine if their vehicle is included in the recall by visiting www.recalls.honda.com or by calling (888) 234-2138.
from Parker Waichman http://www.yourlawyer.com/blog/more-than-300000-honda-accords-recalled-for-air-bag-problems/
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