Government Urges Owners Of Old Hondas To Get Air Bags Fixed
DETROIT (AP/KDKA) - The government is warning of an "urgent" danger for some drivers because of faulty airbags, going so far as telling them to stop driving their cars immediately.
Owners of 313,000 older Hondas and Acuras are being told to stop driving them and get them repaired after new tests found that their Takata air bag inflators are extremely dangerous.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says it has data showing that chances are as high as 50 percent that the inflators can explode in a crash, injuring people by sending metal shrapnel into the car.
Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement: "Folks should not drive these vehicles unless they are going straight to a dealer to have them repaired."
Back in May, attorney Bob Silverman told KDKA's Susan Koeppen just how dangerous the faulty airbag situation can be.
"You have a minor fender bender and the airbag deploys and you are decapitated," said Silverman. "It's a bad, bad situation."
At least 11 people have died and more than 100 have been injured worldwide from the problem.
The urgent advisory released Thursday covers: 2001 and 2002 Honda Civics and Accords, the 2002 and 2003 Acura TL, the 2002 Honda Odyssey and CR-V, and the 2003 Acura CL and Honda Pilot, NHTSA said.
The vehicles are among the oldest involved in the Takata recalls.
Consumer experts say you should ask for a free loaner car while the airbag is being replaced and you should document the whole process.
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