Honda Motor Co. (NYSE:HMC) announced Tuesday that the automaker is recalling 750,000 vehicles in the United States after discovering a defect involving air bags which could deploy unintentionally during a collision.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Tuesday that there is a potential issue with the weight sensor in the front passenger seat, which may develop cracks and short circuits. This malfunction could lead to the airbag not deploying as intended. To address this concern, dealers will be replacing the faulty seat weight sensors.
The recall encompasses specific models of Honda vehicles, including the Pilot, Accord, and Civic from the model years 2020-2022. Additionally, certain Honda CR-V and Passport vehicles from the 2020 and 2021 model years are also included in the recall.
In response to the situation, Honda, in a statement submitted to the safety regulator, revealed that there have been 3,834 warranty claims related to this issue. Importantly, there have been no reported injuries or fatalities associated with this problem since June 2020.
Honda further explained to the NHTSA that the defect may have originated when a natural disaster affected the manufacturing plant of a subcontractor. In response, a supplier temporarily altered the base material in the printed circuit board of the seat weight sensor.
According to Honda, the alternative material used "could allow additional strain to the printed circuit board".
Honda recalled 4.5 million vehicles globally in December, including 2.54 million in the United States, due to the risks of fuel pump failure.
Shares of HMC are up 1.68% in mid-day trading on Tuesday.