Honda will pay $96.5 million to settle a probe centered on defective airbags in some of its vehicles. The lawsuits came from attorneys general in 46 states, three U.S. territories and Washington, D.C. This settlement ends the investigation into Honda’s alleged failure to inform regulators and consumers rupture risks in the front airbags of 2001 to 2006 Honda and Acura Cars.
The airbag systems were designed and made by Takata Corp. and could cause metal fragments to fly toward passengers if ruptured. At least 14 people have died in the U.S. from ruptured Takata airbags and 200 have been injured. Honda’s settlement includes the implementation of new safety protocols to protect drivers and passengers and Honda has agreed to upgrade its airbag safety procedures in a way that reduces the risk of ruptures.
“This settlement with Honda makes clear that companies, large and small, will face serious consequences when they put profits over protecting the safety of their customers,” Washington, D.C.’s attorney general Karl Racine said in a statement Tuesday. As a result of this settlement Honda has recalled approximately 12.9 million Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with known defective inflators. A prepared statement from Honda says they will notify states of any new defective airbags going forward. Honda is the parent company of the Acura brand.
“The now-bankrupt airbag inflator supplier, Takata, pleaded guilty in 2017 to federal criminal fraud charges for deceiving Honda and other automakers about the safety of its airbags,” Honda said. “Under the terms of these civil settlements, Honda does not acknowledge any wrongdoing.” Of the $96.5 million settlement, roughly $1 million will go to the National Association of Attorneys General while another $11.3 million will go to the state of California.
Many of the investigations into Honda began in December 2015 and in 2016 Takata airbags became the subject of the largest auto part recall in U.S. history. It was determined moisture was a major factor in the air bag ruptures and cars with a particular Takata air bag design were prone to water seeping in, with vehicles operating in a humid environment deemed at most risk, they found. Many of the victims were driving the popular Honda Accord, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. As a result of a separate class-action settlement, Honda customers are entitled to restitution for damages or injuries from defective airbags.
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