Another defective airbag, produced by Continental Automotive Systems, has led to a recall of five million vehicles worldwide. Nine injuries have been associated with faulty airbags to date.
A total of 2 million vehicles will be recalled in the U.S., though the number of affected Canadian cars remains unknown at this time.
Fiat Chrysler, Honda and Mercedes Benz have already issued recalls for several hundred thousand vehicles. However, there are still a number of other automakers who have purchased the defective Continental airbags, but have yet to issue a recall.
Honda Canada is recalling 23,343 Honda Accord Sedans from model years 2008-2010. Owners are advised to contact their Honda dealership immediately, though parts are not expected to be available until Fall 2016.
In the United States, Fiat Chrysler is recalling 112,000 2008-2009 Chrysler minivans and Dodge Grand Caravans, as well as Volkswagen Routan SUVs and 2009 Dodge Journeys. Honda is recalling 341,000 2009 and 2010 Accord Sedans. Mercedes Benz recalled a number of C-Class cars and GLK-Class SUVs in October.
It is important to note that this is not related to the massive Takata airbag recall.
Defective Continental Airbags
According to a notice from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, some of the airbag control units made by the German auto supplier can corrode if moisture gets into the control computers.
The control units are responsible for controlling all of the airbags in a vehicle. If it corrodes, the airbags could inflate on their own or may fail to inflate during an accident.
Continental has reported that it first learned of the problem in 2008, when it claims it notified automakers and began further investigating the problem.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration was alerted to the problem in August of 2015 after the discovery of a defective Continental airbag in a 2008 Honda Accord.
If you have been hurt because of a defective product, contact the law offices of Greg Monforton & Partners to speak with an experienced personal injury lawyer today.
Call (866) 320-4770 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form.