Honda and Acura recall 1.6 million cars – safety measures have made them dangerous

If you own a Honda or Acura car dating from 2001 or later, you should immediately check if you are concerned by not one but two new recalls, which together concern more than 1.6 million cars, including one for airbags defective older vehicles, and another for defective backup cameras on the latest.

Honda, owner of the Acura brand, is recalling 1.4 million cars due to concerns about a defective airbag inflator. If they are exposed to high heat and humidity for long periods, the airbags may explode during a collision, which will cause shrapnel in the drivers. and passengers. Drivers of affected cars must contact their dealers immediately so that the airbags can be replaced free of charge.

The recall is part of a truly massive booster effort initiated by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to replace the Japanese Takata company's airbags. Takata airbags are used in some 19 automotive brands – almost every brand you can think of, including American and European cars as well as Asian cars. So far, at least 23 people have been killed in the world by the explosion of these airbags and at least 180 have been injured.

Globally, around 100 million cars worldwide will have to be recalled and their airbags replaced by the end of 2019. It is perhaps not surprising that Takata has filed for bankruptcy protection in Japan and the United States. United as a result of the extended recall.

The recall seems to concern some Honda and Acura cars sold between 2001 and 2014. You can check here to find out if theirs is one of them. For the most accurate information, have a VIN at your fingertips.

If your Honda is newer than 2014, you probably do not have to worry about an exploding airbag, but you should know that another reminder of the 232,000 Hybrid Accord 2018 and Insight 2019 models 2018 Accord is due to defective reversing cameras. It may be that these cameras do not show exactly what is behind you, which means that a driver could collide with an invisible obstacle. A free software update will solve the problem.

The least we can say is that the airbags and reversing cameras – two features that add so much to the safety that the law requires – could make driving more dangerous. Although you are even better with a Takata airbag than no airbag at all, as does NHTSA on its website.

It is even more interesting to note that in recent decades, cars have become increasingly safer, thanks to the increasing use of reversing cameras and airbags, but also to sensors that warn drivers when they leave a lane, drifting. free use of the mobile phone and other improvements. At the same time, the number of cars recalled has increased for the most part. Indeed, cars are becoming more and more complicated as manufacturers add new options and, yes, safety features.

The US auto recalls have reached their highest level (so far) in 2016 with 53 million vehicles recalled, largely thanks to Takata airbags. In 2017, recalls dropped to 30.7 million. This is still a very high number, especially if we consider that only 17.6 million new cars were sold this year. In other words, the manufacturers recall nearly 75% more cars than they sell. Which does not seem to be a way to run a business.