Have you seen how an airbag inflator is replaced? Do you know how the item looks like? Me neither, which is why the above video (and gallery below) is interesting. Produced by Honda Malaysia, it details the steps to get your car’s Takata airbag inflator replaced, if it is affected by the largest recall in automotive history. From checking your car’s VIN number online to the work being done, the whole process is condensed into a clip that’s less than two minutes long.
Replacing the airbag inflators is a relatively simple process that doesn’t take very long – less than 20 minutes for the driver’s side and up to 45 minutes for the passenger side item, which involves a more complex procedure and is harder to access. Your car will then undergo through checks, with stickers to mark that the inflators have already been replaced.
By the way, stock availability is 100% for the driver’s side inflator and 70% for the passenger side unit as of end 2016. This recall is global and demand is high.
Honda says that your car will be handled by trained technicians and full care will be taken to avoid any damage. As with any car that is sent in for service, seat, steering and floor covers will be used to maintain cleanliness.
These were among the concerns of those who were stalling on bringing their cars in, and they have been addressed. Not that there was any to begin with, but there really is no reason now to not bring your car in for the simple replacement job, as the affected inflators can erupt with too much force even in minor accidents, causing injury or death.
Honda Malaysia has issued more than 240,000 letters to customers, sent 35,000 emails to owners, phoned more than 2,000 customers and sent 126,000 SMS messages, and that was in July 2016. Since then, they stepped up the game to place flyers on affected models parked in public areas and even deployed staff to go door-to-door. The company is also working closely with JPJ to approach current owners of affected vehicles based on available data.
To recap, Honda Malaysia has issued a series separate recalls: in May, June and July 2015, and again in May and June 2016. As of end 2016, around 264,000 Honda vehicles have been recalled for driver airbag inflators, and around 273,000 models need new passenger airbag inflators. Another batch of cars was recalled earlier this month.
Models affected include the Honda Accord (2003-2012), City (2003-2013), Civic (2001-2011), Civic Hybrid (2003, 2007-2012), CR-V (2002-2011, 2013), Freed (2009-2012), Insight (2011-2013), Jazz (2003-2007, 2009-2013), Jazz Hybrid (2012-2013), Odyssey (2004-2008) and Stream (2003-2005, 2007-2013).
To handle the unprecedented scale of this recall, Honda Malaysia introduced several measures. All authorised service centres in the country were instructed to focus 50% of its resources and capacity to airbag inflator replacement jobs. The company also set up Service Central Hubs and Mobile Hubs to reduce the burden on dealers and to give customers more convenience. If customers are genuinely unable to proceed to a dealership/hub for the replacement job, on-site replacement work can be arranged.
Act now and check your vehicle’s product recall status at www.productrecall.honda.com.my, call Honda Malaysia’s toll free number at 1-800-88-2020 or visit any Honda authorised dealer. The easiest way to check is of course online. Know of anyone who owns/drives any of the models pictured below? Do share this piece of info with them, and stress on the urgency of the matter. In this case, scare tactics are justified – people have died because of this, not in some faraway country but here in Malaysia.
GALLERY: Honda models affected by the Takata airbag inflator recall
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It is amazing in other countries, Toyota, honda and Nissan as well as Porsche, BMW and Merc have got loads of law suits for deaths caused by airbags. So many class action suits too.
In Malaysia, no car company has ever been sued by the rakyat. Those who have tried have got their cases thrown out of court automatically despite family suffering due to demise of victim caused by faulty airbag.
Why are our car companies so kebal? They are like Ultraman. Nobody can touch them.
change TAKATA to TAKATA what is the point?
Fanboy please comment..
The issue with some batches of takata airbags is that their metal inflator housing got rusty due to moisture. When this housing becomes rusty, its strength to handle pressure decreases. Therefore, when the inflator is activated, the chemical reaction that happens inside the inflator will produce nitrogen gas. This reaction creates high pressure within the housing, and the rusty one shredded into pieces.
The one that they are replacing, even though it’s still takata, it is a new one and contains anti-moisture.
Therefore, the new inflator housing will no longer gets rusty, and can hold the pressure created. Savvy?
all inflator housing is metal and will rust..
This is what I have learnt from various authoritative websites that have studied the problem in depth.
The problem has been identified to be moisture ingress into the explosive charge in the inflator canister. The (moist) explosive charge’s “burning rate” is cumulatively increased every time the 32 degrees Centigrade mark is crossed.
In other words, say the “burning rate” starts at 100 units. Every time the explosive charge is heated or cooled past 32 degrees, the burning rate increases (say) by 0.1 unit. So park your car in the sun so that the initially cool interior gets heated and cooled twice a day, brings the burning rate to 100.4 units. You can see that if you do the same thing tomorrow, the burning rate will be 100.8 after the second day of similar heating and cooling, and so on. If you substitute “explosive force” for “burning rate”, you can easily imagine the consequence of the growing explosive force on the inflator canister – instead of just ejecting the airbag when the charge is ignited within, the canister explodes (like a grenade). Note that the problem does not occur spontaneously (i.e. on its own), but only when ignited for airbag deployment.
The potential problem also does not occur if 1) moisture does not enter the canister (via humidity) and 2) the temperature of the (moist) charge does not cross 32 degrees Centigrade too many times. Unfortunately, the heat and humidity in Malaysia are ideal conditions for potential problems.
Replacement canisters are “mositure proof” and a desiccant (water absorber) is added inside so that if any moisture does get in, it bonds to the desiccant rather than the explosive charge.
BTW, other airbag manufacturers use a different explosive charge that appears to be more stable under “attack” by heat and humidity.
Now you know as much as I know about this.
They called to tell me just before Chinese New Year that the passenger side airbag is still not available after more than a year? And they will contact me as soon as it is available. It’s all bull shit. Btw it is for a 2009 accord
100% agree. Honda send me a notice that my car was affected six months ago and until today I didn’t received any notice for replacement. Even went to their website to re-register but none had contacted me when they clearly stated they will contact me within three working days.
In the picture, the guy using gloves, seat covered, steering covered, clean overalls…..frankly I have never seen that before? Is it for real?
typical media shots
using power tools and g-shock watch to handle electrostatics sensitive component is the right way BRAVO Honda..
Honda Malaysia has been doing a really good job on raising awareness of the Takata airbag issue. I don’t see UMWT/ Toyota and ETCM/ Nissan doing many PSAs, even though their cars are also affected by the Takata issue.
What worries me is how so many of our people still don’t know, or worse, don’t care about this issue. Because of this poor attitude, HMSB must go door-to-door to find some of these ‘errant’ customers. Sigh. What to do.
My Camry is still waiting for replacement since June 2016. UMW Toyota is hopeless. They should sacked their service director
I’ve noticed that Toyota also mentioned this in a poster at their SCs, and I believe my 2003 Vios is also affected but Toyota hadn’t notified anybody yet AFAIK.
The video is giving me a mild heart attack. Shouldn’t there be special precautions and safety gear for the service dude? I wouldn’t go near those inflators. Volatile.
Does anybody know whether they replaced ammonium nitrate with the more stable guanidine nitrate, or still using ammonium nitrate with added dessicant? Although the dessicant reduces the moist factor, still Ammonium Nitrate crystalline phases factor which may transform at 32.3C, which could start to powderized after 5-7 years. Just concern, please could any expert educate.
my Accord 2016 untill now not yet replace!
Received lettter and i called Honda Puchong services centre oso. No stock. and nobody call me oso. Instead i hav to called them twice yo trgistered.