More recalls announced as Takata settles

The largest automotive recall continues to grow. Honda, Ford and Toyota announced this week that more vehicles with airbags supplied by Takata were being recalled, affecting more than 2.5 million vehicles in Canada and the United States.

The U.S. arm of Honda said an additional 772,000 Honda and Acura vehicles were subject to the latest recall south of the border because “Takata passenger front airbag inflators that do not contain a moisture absorbing desiccant,” it said in a statement.

Honda Canada confirmed that the announcement affects just under 300,000 vehicles here.

Ford said it was “expanding its safety recall on vehicles with certain passenger frontal airbag inflators after Takata declared those inflators defective.” The U.S. automaker’s announcement will mean almost 665,000 cars in the U.S. and just over 161,000 in Canada are subject to the recall, and include Mercury and Lincoln vehicles built in North America.

As for Toyota, it is recalling 543,000 vehicles in the U.S. and more than 130,000 in Canada. The recall includes vehicles from its luxury Lexus brand.

Takata settles for $1 billion

The recalls were first announced in May 2016 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration due to dangerous inflators from Takata. On January 13, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that the Tokyo-based manufacturer agreed to pay “pay a total of $1 billion in criminal penalties stemming from the company’s fraudulent conduct in relation to sales of defective airbag inflator.”

The company will also admit to wire fraud and conspiracy related to the scheme.

“Automotive suppliers who sell products that are supposed to protect consumers from injury or death must put safety ahead of profits,” said U.S. Attorney Barbara McQuade. “If they choose instead to engage in fraud, we will hold accountable the individuals and business entities who are responsible.”

Affected vehicles

Honda vehicles affected in Canada are:

• 2006-2008 Acura CSX
• 2005-2006 Acura MDX
• 2005-2008 Acura RL
• 2008 Honda Accord
• 2006-2008 Honda Civic
• 2005-2008 Honda CR-V
• 2005-2008 Honda Element
• 2007-2008 Honda Fit
• 2005-2008 Honda Pilot
• 2006-2008 Honda Ridgeline

Affected Ford vehicles built in North America are:

• 2005-09 and 2012 Ford Mustang
• 2005-06 Ford GT
• 2006-09 and 2012 Ford Fusion
• 2007-09 Ford Ranger
• 2007-09 Ford Edge
• 2006-09 and 2012 Lincoln Zephyr and Lincoln MKZ
• 2007-09 Lincoln MKX
• 2006-09 Mercury Milan

Toyota vehicles being recalled are:

• 2006 – 2008 Model Year Toyota Yaris Hatchback
• 2007 – 2008 Model Year Toyota Yaris Sedan
• 2006 – 2008 Model Year Lexus IS250/350
• 2008 Model Year Lexus IS-F
• 2007 – 2008 Model Year Lexus ES350
• 2012 Model Year Lexus LFA