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Honda crash-bag recall tops 2m

Tokyo, Japan - Honda has issued a global recall for 304 000 vehicles to attend to a problem with crash bags after 20 accidents and two deaths, bringing the total involved in the problem to two-million vehicles.

Apparently the bags, intended to inflate during an impact to cushion vehicle occupants, inflate with much pressure and send metal and plastic pieces flying through the cabin with the potential to kill or maim.

Honda said there have been 20 accidents so far related to this problem, including two deaths in the US in 2009. The problem has been apparent since 2008.

ONGOING PROBLEM

The recall affects the Accord, Civic, Odyssey, Pilot, CR-V and other models, manufactured through 2001 and 2002. It involves 273 000 vehicles in the US, 27 000 in Canada, nearly 2000 in Japan and another 2000 in other countries, including 359 in Europe, 158 in Israel and one in Britain.

South Africa is not, according to the local arm of the automaker, is not affected.

The latest recall is an expansion of recalls for the same problem in 2008 and again carried out in 2009 and 2010. It now covers about two-million vehicles worldwide, according to Tokyo-based Honda.

Honda spokesman Hajime Kaneko said the cause for the latest recall was the use of incorrect material in the chemical used to inflate the bags. The initial cause of the recall was excessive moisture in the inflator propellant but that problem was found later to affect more vehicles than estimated as incidents did not stop and the recall was expanded to account for the possibility that the problem was caused by a defective stamping machine used during production.

Honda has said it is extremely sorry about the recalls but believes the problem has now been corrected, with no more recalls expected.

Also included in the latest recall are 912 crash bag service parts sold for installation in vehicles for collision repair and other reasons.
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