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    Honda, Acura Say Not to Drive These Older Models Until Their Airbags Are Fixed

    Older Honda Accord, Civic, CR-V, Odyssey, and Pilot models are included in this serious recall to fix dangerous Takata airbags, as are the Acura TL and CL

    2002 Honda Civic and 2001 Honda Accord at Honda Service Center Photo: Honda

    If you or someone you know owns an older Honda or Acura, the nation’s highest auto safety regulator says you should stop driving your car until you’ve checked at nhtsa.gov/recalls to make sure a potentially deadly airbag defect has already been fixed.

    MORE ON RECALLS

    If the repair hasn’t been made, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that owners should call their local dealership and have a free fix done immediately. These vehicles may still have a defective airbag that could kill the driver or leave them with what the agency says are “devastating, life-altering injuries.”

    Honda, which also owns Acura, says the owners of the following vehicles should stop driving immediately if they have not had their driver-side airbag inflator replaced, free of charge, at a Honda or an Acura dealership:

    2001-2002 Honda Accord sedan
    2001-2002 Honda Civic sedan
    2002 Honda CR-V SUV
    2002 Honda Odyssey minivan
    2003 Honda Pilot SUV
    2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL sedan 
    2003 Acura 3.2CL coupe

    The automaker says that there are still about 8,200 of these older vehicles on the road that have not had their airbag inflators repaired. According to NHTSA, there’s a 50 percent chance their airbags will fail in a crash. 

    To check if your car is included in this—or any—open recall, you first need to get your vehicle’s VIN—a 17-digit combination of numbers and letters that can usually be found at the bottom outside of the windshield on the driver’s side. Then, enter that number at the government’s official recall website, nhtsa.gov/recalls. You can also call your local Honda or Acura dealership if you need help. This repair will not cost owners anything.

    2002 Acura 3.2 TL
    2002 Acura TL

    Photo: Honda Photo: Honda

    It is rare for an automaker to issue what’s called a “stop driving” warning, and it highlights the danger of not getting the problem fixed. There have been calls for Honda to issue a “stop driving” warning on these vehicles since 2016. Other similar recalls have been issued recently by BMW, Dodge, Chrysler, Ford, Mazda, and Mercedes-Benz.

    These defective airbags were made by Takata, a now-defunct automotive supplier, and used by 19 automakers in the U.S. A massive recall of Takata airbags started in 2014, and now includes over 42 million vehicles. As with all vehicle recalls, getting a recalled Takata airbag fixed is free.

    Due to a design error, these airbags may explode and spray metal fragments at the driver and passengers in a crash. To date, there have been 24 deaths and more than 400 injuries because of this problem in the U.S. across all automakers who used Takata airbags—including one in 2021 and one in 2022 involving drivers of 2002 Honda Accords. Both Hondas had first been recalled in 2011, and the automaker said it attempted to reach both of these owners hundreds of times.

    Learn more about car recalls at CR’s guide to recalls.

    Stay informed about recalls that might affect your vehicle using our Car Recall Tracker.

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    Keith Barry

    Keith Barry has been an auto reporter at Consumer Reports since 2018. He focuses on safety, technology, and the environmental impact of cars. Previously, he led home and appliance coverage at Reviewed; reported on cars for USA Today, Wired, and Car & Driver; and wrote for other publications as well. Keith earned a master’s degree in public health from Tufts University. Follow him on BlueSky @itskeithbarry.bsky.social.