Honda has notified its dealers not to sell some used models until they carry out an auto defect recall to fix airbag defects that have been linked to at least two deaths and 18 injuries. According to a report in The New York Times, the Japanese automakers issued the statement following several recalls over the last three years for the problem. The issue with the driver’s side airbags is that they can deploy so forcefully that it sends metal fragments flying in the air. Federal law requires that automakers stop dealers from selling new cars until the recall is carried out. There is no such requirement for used cars. Honda has so far issued five recalls for this defect encompassing about 2 million vehicles since 2008.

Recent Honda Airbag Recalls

The most recent Honda airbag recall involved 2001-2002 Accords, the 2001-2003 Civic and Odyssey models, 2002-2003 CR-V vehicles, 2003 Pilot, and the 2002-2003 Acura TL and CL models. The recall connected with the defective airbags began with 3,900 Honda Civic models and gradually expanded over the years to include two million vehicles. The automaker sent out a service bulletin last month to Honda and Acura dealers stating that the affected vehicles “must be repaired before they are sold.” Honda officials say dealers are required to check for any open recalls before selling a vehicle.

Alerting Consumers about Defective Autos

The Center for Auto Safety has said that Honda should also be getting the word out to consumers not to drive the vehicles until these airbag defects have been repaired. It is not clear if Honda is making that effort. These are no doubt serious and dangerous defects that have caused at least two known fatalities and several injuries. While it is good to know that Honda has sent out this statement to dealers, it is still a cause for enormous concern that the automaker waited more than three years to recall the 2 million vehicles that have these defective airbags in them. I trust the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), is investigating any delays on the part of Honda to issue these critical recalls.

Auto Products Liability Issues

If you or someone you love has been seriously injured as a result of these Honda airbag defects or any other auto product defect, please consult with a reputed California personal injury lawyer, who has an excellent track record handling auto products liability cases against these large corporations. It would be in your best interest to do so whether the product that has injured you has been recalled or not. It is also important to preserve the vehicle, which is the most important piece of evidence in such cases, so it can be thoroughly examined by an expert for product defects, malfunctions, and other critical evidence.