Honda is recalling 1,854 model year 2010 Acura ZDX passenger cars manufactured between November 12, 2009 and March 22, 2010. During the manufacturing process, the dashboard covering material may have not been properly laser scored to allow complete deployment of the front passenger’s SRS airbag. In the event of a crash, the airbag will not deploy properly, increasing the risk of injury. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about April 21, 2010. 10V-145.

Honda’s supplier informed Honda on March 24, 2010 of the fact that the dashboard covers were not properly scored during manufacturing. Then, about two weeks later, Honda determined that this was a safety defect and notified the government by letter dated April 9, 2010. The improperly manufactured dashboards (instrument panels) did not receive laser cuts on the underside of the cover at the passenger side air bag. Without those laser cuts, both the timing of the passenger air bag deployment and its force level are affected. The problem was so serious that Honda issued a “Stop Order” to its dealerships prohibiting from selling any of those vehicles until they are inspected and, if necessary, repaired. Honda then told its dealerships that if they violate this, they will be required to indemnify Honda for any damages it has to pay to someone injured as a result of the failure to inspect and repair.

Honda is recalling 34,300 model year 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.

The wire harness for the occupant detection system (ODS) and the occupant position detection system (OPDS) is routed underneath the carpet on the driver’s side floorboard. In areas where road salt is used, salt from the snow on the driver’s shoes will melt and may penetrate the carpet and leak into the wire harness. If the harness is exposed to salt brine, corrosion may occur and the wire may break causing the SRS indicator light to illuminate.

A failure of the ODS and OPDS may not detect the presence of a child seat or an out-of-position passenger and deployment of both the front seat passenger’s frontal and side air bags will not be suppressed. In the event of a crash, a deploying front passenger air bag or front passenger’s side air bag will increase the risk of injury to small or out-of-position occupants.

Dealers will inspect and replace the wire harness. The recall is expected to begin during January 2008. 07V-549.

Honda recalled nearly 4,000 model year 2001 Honda Civic and Honda Accord cars for a safety defect in its driver air bags.  The chemicals inside the driver air bag inflator caused excessive internal pressure during deployment, which could cause the inflator to rupture.  A ruptured inflator could cause metal chunks to slice through the fabric air bag and hit the consumer.  Obviously, this defect would not only prevent the air bag from properly protecting you, but could also cause injuries, including injuries to your eyes and face.

Honda received claim information and photographs in June 2007 related to this issue, but closed that claim about three months later.  However, four months after that, it began an investigation to identify specific lots of air bag inflator propellant that was suspect.  (A “lot” of inflator propellant is a batch of the chemicals internal to the air bag inflator that is burned to produce the gas that inflates an air bag.)

In September 2008, Honda inspected a vehicle which showed signs of an unusual deployment, apparently confirming their prior suspicion of improperly manufactured air bag inflators.  Honda finally notified the government in November 2008 that it would be conducting this recall on its Honda Civic and Honda Accord models.

The government’s recall number is 08V-593.