Honda to recall vehicles with improperly installed replacement airbag inflators

Honda Motor Co. plans to inspect and replace or properly install replacement airbag inflators that have been improperly installed under an earlier recall, Automotive News has learned.

The latest recall will expand on one issued in September in which replacement parts for Takata airbag inflators may have been improperly installed on 646 Honda vehicles. Both recalls affect only the passenger-side airbags.

Honda declined to specify how many additional vehicles the new recall covers but a spokesman said it was "a very small number."

The expanded recall will also add one more Honda model yet to be specified to the original recall.

The previous recall affected these models: 2008-12 Accord, 2010-12 Crosstour, 2006-11 Civic, 2007-11 CR-V, 2009-12 Fit, 2010-12 Insight and 2009-12 Pilot.

The automaker has already notified dealers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the expanded recall and is awaiting a formal response from NHTSA before issuing a statement.

The latest recall is being undertaken because technicians installed replacement inflators the wrong way in the dashboard, Honda said. The error can prevent the passenger airbag from deploying properly during a crash.

No injuries, deaths, accidents or failed deployments have been reported, Honda said Friday.

About 11.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles have been recalled in the U.S. because of defective Takata airbag inflators. Another 5.1 million could be recalled later, federal regulators say, pending the availability of replacement parts.

Globally, at least 18 deaths and 180 injuries have been linked to Takata inflators that deployed improperly, sending shrapnel into a vehicle's cabin during a crash. The issue has forced 19 automakers to recall more than 42 million vehicles worldwide; another 80 million vehicles are expected to be recalled.

The expanded Honda recall raises questions about whether the issue could affect other automakers scrambling to replace millions of potentially faulty airbag inflators.

In addition to Takata, TRW and Autoliv are manufacturing replacement airbag inflators but still face a backlog because of the size of the recall.

The defective inflators have touched nearly every automaker.

NHTSA did not respond when on whether other automakers have reported issues with installing replacement inflators correctly.