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Honda safety campaign hunting for faulty Takata airbags in junkyards

Honda has been working for months to recall about 5.5 million vehicles to replace their faulty Takata airbag inflators. With many of these models dating back over a decade, some of them aren't on the road anymore; instead they're sitting in salvage yards across the country as a possible source for inexpensive, recycled parts. There's a serious risk for injuries and fatalities if these bad components end up in cars still on the road, and the automaker is on the hunt to track the dangerous parts down. According to Automotive News, Honda thinks there could be over 24,000 recalled Takata airbags in the company's vehicles in junkyards in the US. The automaker has been working with an outside business to find them and issued notices to salvage lots around the country about an offer to buy the parts back. So far, it has tracked down around 3,900 inflators. Bizarrely, Honda is facing pushback on this safety campaign from the Automotive Recyclers Association. "The buyback program appears to be offering recyclers a price for airbags materially lower than the fair parts value," organization CEO Michael Wilson said to Automotive News. Although, under federal law it's illegal to sell faulty components to people. The trade group also has a pending lawsuit against the automaker for alleged lost value in buying vehicles with Takata inflators. In addition to getting the word out to auto recyclers, Honda had a nationwide advertising campaign for people to get their cars fixed. However, the company and Takata are facing many lawsuits for injuries and deaths related to the faulty inflators.

Honda claims another injury from Takata airbag failure

Honda has confirmed another injury caused by a faulty Takata airbag inflator in one of its vehicles. The incident occurred on March 20 in Florida to the driver of a 2003 Honda Civic, and according to Reuters, police and hospital reports indicated that shrapnel from the ruptured inflator struck the person in the neck. Honda has indicated that the owner was notified about the airbag at least four times – three of those for the driver's side. The mailings dated back as far as September 29, 2014, and as late as March 23, 2015, which was three days after the crash. The vehicle was eligible to receive new inflators on both sides. In March, Honda issued a high-profile warning to owners in newspapers and on the radio to get their cars fixed. The automaker also broadened its recall during the month to include 100,000 more vehicles, which brought the US total to around 5.5 million. So far, the faulty inflators have been linked to at least six deaths and 139 injuries. In one case, a woman in Florida has filed a lawsuit alleging that she became a quadriplegic when a piece of shrapnel in a 2001 Civic struck her in the neck, and an incident in Texas reportedly caused a man's death. Related Video: Statement from American Honda Motor Co., Inc. Re: Confirmed Rupture of Takata Airbag Inflator in Florida April 13, 2015 American Honda has confirmed that the Takata driver's airbag inflator ruptured in the crash of a 2003 Honda Civic on March 20, 2015 in Florida. This crash resulted in an injury to the driver of the vehicle. Our thoughts and sympathies are with the driver and his family during this difficult time. The legal representative of the owner involved in this incident has acknowledged in comments to media that a March 23, 2015 mailed notification was received by the owner. However, multiple mailed notices previously went to the same address, and none of these notices were returned as undeliverable. The vehicle involved in this crash is included in a recall affecting the passenger's front airbag inflator (14V-700) and a safety improvement campaign affecting the driver's front airbag inflator (14V-351), and our records indicate that neither of the necessary repairs was ever completed. American Honda has sent one mailed notice related to the passenger front inflator and three mailed notices related to the driver front inflator, the earliest of which was sent on 9/29/2014.

What car should James Robertson buy to drive his famous 21-mile commute?

The Internet has been abuzz this week with the story of Detroit resident James Robertson, the 56-year-old factory worker who has walked some 21 miles to work for the last 10 years. The Detroit Free Press brought Robertson's story to the fore, helping an online fundraising campaign to generate more than $275,000 (as of this writing). The original goal was just $5,000, or about enough to replace the used Honda that died on Robertson back in 2005, and left him walking. So, newly flush with funds, what's the perfect car for Robertson to buy? Let's look at the specifics of his situation, and try to pick out the best options. Here's what we know: Robertson's commute is (famously) 21 miles; he lives in downtown Detroit (for now) and seems pretty humble, so something very flashy is probably out; former Honda aside, his ties to the city (and statements about being a Ford fan) seem to indicate a Detroit Three company product is best; he's a single guy with a girlfriend; he's got to deal with Michigan weather, and the sometimes fickle snow removal processes in The D. Here are some choices: Ford F-150 Robertson is on record as being a Taurus fan, and after a decade of walking I've no doubt that the big sedan would offer a cozy respite. Still, as a car guy and a student of the industry, I'd have a hard time recommending a sedan so clearly in need of replacement. Especially when The Blue Oval has such great stuff within the rest of its roster. The 2015 F-150 seems almost perfect for Robertson. Opting for either of the new EcoBoost V6 engines should help keep fuel bills in reasonable check, while healthy ride height and four-wheel drive will get him to work on time even during the snowiest of snow days. Better still, with a fat options sheet and car-like ride quality, Robertson can have just about every amenity he might want, in a package that won't disrespect his blue-collar roots. Chevrolet Colorado You guys saw this one coming, right? The smaller footprint of the midsize Chevy pickup, relative to some of the other options here, should be an advantage for urban parking and driving. And again, 4x4 is an option for the nasty weather, the running costs should stay pretty low and there aren't many tech/luxury features that can't be had in-cabin. I'd go ahead and splash out on the Crew Cab bodystyle, too, just in case Robertson feels like starting a carpool.