NHTSA airbag spotlight moves to Honda

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it will examine whether Honda failed to report deaths or injuries involving airbags that are part of the regulators’ investigation into faulty equipment supplied by Takata to a number of original equipment manufacturers.

As a result, Honda has strengthened its recall of US cars to replace potentially defective Takata airbags linked to several deaths.

Japan’s third-biggest carmaker said early last month that it was adding to its recall an undisclosed number of cars from model years 2001-2006 that were sold or registered in humid areas where the airbag inflators are thought to be most vulnerable to rupture.

Honda said “it is not aware of any claimed injuries or fatalities that have been confirmed” related to the issue.

More than 17m cars by 10 manufacturers have been recalled worldwide over Takata airbags, which can rupture and send metal shards into the passenger compartment.

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