Honda issues recall for faulty airbag

MANILA, Philippines - Honda Cars Philippines Inc. is recalling 9,743 units of Civic and CR-V models to replace the faulty part of the vehicles’ passenger airbag.

HCPI sales department head M.J. del Pilar said in a press conference yesterday the recall affects Civic year models 2001 to 2002 and the CR-V 2002 model.

He said the recall is being conducted as findings show that during the manufacturing process, the automatic rejection system machine failed to detect defective airbag inflators with low density propellants.

The defective inflation devices were installed in the vehicles.

“As a result, upon airbag deployment, the pressure increases excessively and might cause the inflator case to rapture,” he said.

The announcement is part of a global recall being undertaken by the company following a Honda Motor report involving faulty front passenger airbags.

A total of 1.142 million units of various Honda vehicles are affected by the global recall.

No abnormal deployment of passenger airbag, crashes or injuries have been reported related to the issue, but HCPI is carrying out a recall in line with its policy of ensuring worldwide customer satisfaction when it comes to quality of the product and as well as safety.

“HCPI will replace, free of charge, the inflator of the affected Honda models,”Del Pilar said.

Concerned customers would be notified through phone and letters from Honda dealers.

To conduct the voluntary safety recall in an orderly manner, customers are requested to call their respective dealers for service appointment or call the Honda Hotline 1-800-1000-HONDA (46632) and (02) 857-7240.

Customers may also send an email to [email protected], or visit Honda Cars Philippines, Inc.’s website www.hondaphil.com for inquiries and details of scheduling.

The recall is the second to be conducted by HCPI this year.

In January, it recalled 171 units of the Pilot and Odyssey models due to problems with the driver’s front airbag.

In a related development, three other Japanese car manufacturers Toyota Motor Corp., Nissan Motor Co. and Mazda Motor Corp. are also conducting a global recall of vehicles due to possible problems with airbags.

Toyota is recalling a total of 1.73 million units of affected models Corolla, Tundra and Lexus SC.

Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. vice president for corporate affairs Rommel Gutierrez said in a text message yesterday the company is still checking if vehicles sold here are affected by the recall.

Nissan is also conducting a global recall of the Altima, Sentra, Leaf and Pathfinder.

“The models that are included in the recall are not currently available in the Philippine market,” Karla Tecson, Nissan Motor Philippines Inc.’s head of public relations and governance said in an email yesterday.

As for Mazda, officials of Berjaya Auto Philippines, Inc. could not be reached as press time yesterday.