Honda and Fiat Chrysler lead air bag high-risk list
DETROIT — Cars and trucks from the 2008 model year or older that were originally sold or registered in high humidity areas along the U.S. Gulf Coast, including Texas, are getting top priority for repairs as the government commences the massive Takata air bag inflator recall.
Honda Motor Co. leads all automakers with nine models designated as having the highest risk from air bag inflators that can explode with too much force, spewing metal shrapnel into drivers and passengers. Fiat Chrysler was second with seven.
On Nov. 3, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration took control of the recall, which covers 19.2 million vehicles and is the largest ever in the U.S. The agency wants to speed the pace of repairs and make sure that the limited supply of replacement parts gets to vehicles with the highest risk.
Even with government management, it could take as long as four years to replace all 23.4 million potentially faulty inflators that are now on U.S. roads.
High-priority models were announced as part of an agreement with Takata Corp. of Japan to pay up to a record $200 million penalty for deception in reporting problems and delays in fixing the inflators.
Cars and trucks from Honda and its Acura luxury brand date on the highrisk list date to the 2001 model year. Vehicles from 11 other car and truck makers also are on the list.
Takata inflators can blow apart a metal canister and spew shrapnel into drivers and passengers. Eight people worldwide have been killed by the inflators and more than 100 hurt.
In addition to Honda and Fiat Chrysler, Toyota had five vehicles in the top group, and Ford, Mazda, Nissan and Subaru tied with three each. Daimler vans, Mitsubishi and General Motors each had two models, while BMW and Daimler Trucks had one each.
NHTSA defines the high-humidity region as Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, Saipan, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.