Nissan has joined several automakers who have recently issued auto defect recalls in connection with faulty airbags that were made with initiators containing an incorrect mixture of propellants. According to Consumer Reports the 2012 Nissan Altima and Nissan Versa sedans that have been recalled could have issues with their side curtain airbags that may not inflate during a collision. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has identified similar issues with other vehicle models.

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Subaru has issued an auto defect recall for a number of its 2012 Legacys and Outbacks due to potential airbag defects. According to Consumer Reports, the approximately 381 vehicles may have defective side curtain airbags that could fail to deploy during an accident. The vehicles involved in this recall were manufactured this past December with defective side air bag components. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says that this auto defect may increase the risk of injury to drivers and passengers involved in a collision. When the recall begins in April, Subaru dealers will replace one or more of the defective side curtain air bag initiators at no cost to consumers.

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Honda is issuing an auto defect recall for about 347 Accord sedans and Crosstour hatchbacks due to problems with the airbags in these vehicles. According to a news report in the Chicago Tribune, in certain vehicles, the side curtain airbags for the driver and front passenger may have a faulty inflator. In the event of a car accident, the affected airbags will not deploy. This could increase the risk of injury or death for vehicle occupants. The recall is expected to begin on February 10, 2012. Honda will notify owners when the recall begins and dealers will replace the affected airbags at no charge to consumers. For more information, please call Honda at 1-800-999-1009.

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Federal safety regulators have stepped up their auto defect investigation into Jeep Liberty SUVs. The move comes after 50 people reported being injured after their vehicle’s airbags inflated inadvertently, when the car had not been involved in an accident. According to a news report in Bloomberg Business Week, the investigation into Liberty SUVs from model years 2002 and 2003 began in September. Now, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has expanded the probe to include a complete engineering analysis. The investigation covers nearly 387,000 vehicles.

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Kia is issuing an auto defect recall involving 150,000 vehicles due to airbag problems. According to a news report in the Los Angeles Times, the South Korean automaker is recalling 2006-2008 Optima sedans and Rondo crossover utility vehicles because of a defect that could prevent the driver’s side airbag from deploying in the event of a crash. The company no longer sells the Rondo models.

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Honda Motor Company led all automakers with 3.9 million vehicles recalled in 2011 – a majority of those involving defective airbags. According to a report in the Detroit News, in all, Honda recalled 2.53 million vehicles in the United States and 2.7 million worldwide over defective airbags. Honda initially disputed the National Highway Safety Administration’s tally, but later agreed that it had the highest number of recalled vehicles. Automakers in the United States recalled a total of 15.5 million vehicles in 2011 due to various auto defects. That number is down from the 20.1 million in 2010. The total number of recall campaigns in the United States also dropped from 648 in 2010 to 593 in 2011.

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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.

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