|
 The latest move by Japan's third largest automaker brings the
overall global total of vehicles recalled for Takata-related air
bags to around 36 million since 2008, and comes a day after Toyota
Motor Corp and Nissan Motor Co. recalled 6.5 million vehicles
worldwide.
Daihatsu Motors Co Ltd said it recalled nearly 260,000 cars.
Honda said it decided to recall the cars after finding some Takata
bag inflators were not sealed properly, allowing moisture to seep
into the propellent casing that could make the air bag explode with
excessive force, shooting shrapnel inside the vehicle.
Six deaths have been linked to defective air bags, all on cars made
by Honda, which has borne the brunt of the Takata recalls to date,
and which posted disappointing profit forecasts last month citing
high quality-related costs.
Automakers have been conducting their own investigations into Takata
air bags.
Most of Takata's previous recalls were to replace air bags made at
factories in the United States and Mexico where moisture got into
the casing, the company and automakers have said.
"While we are not able to determine the cause of the problems there
is a possibility there will be more recalls," said Honda spokesman
Teruhiko Tatebe.
Honda, Toyota and Nissan said the recalls were precautionary, and
there were no reports of accidents or injuries.
Asked about the latest recalls, a Takata spokesman said the company
would continue to cooperate with the automakers.
Takata Chief Financial Officer Yoichiro Nomura told analysts on
Thursday that the company, which has boosted production to supply
replacement inflators, had "no plans for now" to set aside more cash
for the latest recalls, the spokesman added.
[to top of second column] |
RIVAL SUPPLIERS
Honda said it would use replacement parts supplied by Takata rivals
Autoliv and Daicel Corp, as well as by Takata itself. It said
the recall, which includes its Fit subcompact, did not affect any
vehicles in the United States - where most of its previous recalls
have been.
The total Takata-linked recalls top the largest U.S. recall of 21
million vehicles by Ford Motor Co in the 1980s for a parking gear
problem, according to U.S. safety regulators and safety advocates.
Takata faces multiple class-action lawsuits in the United
States and Canada, as well as a U.S. criminal investigation and
regulatory probe.
It has said it expects to return to profit this financial year even
though it made few provisions for costs related to the recall.
(Additional reporting by Norihiko Shirouzu; Writing by Chang-Ran
Kim; Editing by Miral Fahmy)
[© 2015 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2015 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
