Honda Malaysia, following an inspection with the Royal Malaysia Police, has confirmed that a Takata driver airbag inflator ruptured in a crash in Selangor on January 1, 2018. The crash involved a 2004 Honda City, and resulted in the death of the driver, although an official cause of death has yet to be determined.
According to an official statement from the company, the vehicle was listed as part of its product recall announced on May 21, 2015. The recall involved the replacement of Takata-made driver and passenger airbag inflators with newly-produced inflators on affected models.
The company stated several notification letters urging customers to send their vehicles in for the necessary parts replacement have been sent out, based on the information in its database.
However, these letters were not sent to the current owner due to a change in vehicle ownership, and records show the recall replacement for both front inflators were never completed. Honda Malaysia also stated that the passenger airbag inflator on the City did not rupture while it deployed and functioned in a proper manner in the crash.
Honda Malaysia has remained active in its notification efforts on Takata front airbag inflator recalls, using a variety of mediums to reach out to customers. This includes official press releases, advertisements, inclusion in roadshows, personal calls (71,700 made) and SMS (2.76 million sent out), as well as direct mailing (2.9 million letters and 35,800 emails).
The company has also ensured 100% stock availability for front and passenger airbag inflator replacements, while various avenues for replacement activities have been provided in the form of Service Central Hubs, Mobile Hubs, plus hubs at selected Petronas stations and Honda roadshows.
As of January 25, 2018, Honda Malaysia has completed more than 221,000 units of Takata driver front airbag inflator which translates to 84% completion ratio. The total number of Takata driver and passenger front airbag inflator replacements completed is at more than 427,000 units or 76% completion ratio.
Vehicle owners can check their vehicles’ product recall status at www.productrecall.honda.com.my or www.honda.com.my or call Honda Malaysia’s toll free number at 1-800-88-2020 or visit any Honda authorised dealers.
The full official statement from Honda Malaysia on the matter is posted below:
Honda has confirmed that the Takata single stage (SDI) driver’s airbag inflator ruptured in a crash on January 1, 2018 in Malaysia. The crash resulted in the tragic death of the driver. No official cause of death has been determined. Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with the family of the driver during this difficult time.
Honda has confirmed during an inspection with the Royal Malaysia Police that the Takata single stage (SDI) driver’s airbag inflator ruptured in the crash of a 2004 Honda City on January 1, 2018 in Selangor state. The vehicle involved in this crash was included in a Malaysian Product Recall announced on May 21, 2015, requiring replacement of the SDI inflator of the Takata driver’s front airbag. Several notification letters related to the recall were sent out to the then owners of the vehicle based on the information in our database, yet the letters were not sent to the current owner due to the change of ownership. Our records indicate that the recall replacement was never completed.
The vehicle involved in this crash has also been included in the Takata single stage (SDI) passenger’s front airbag inflator recall issued on the same day, May 21, 2015. Honda has confirmed that the passenger airbag inflator did not rupture while it deployed and functioned in a proper manner in this crash.
Honda is communicating with the authorities and representative of the driver’s family. Out of respect for the family, Honda will not provide any personal information.
Information on Honda Malaysia’s Ongoing Activities for Takata Airbag Inflator Recalls:
Honda Malaysia has enforced its notification activities on Takata front airbag inflator recalls via press releases, advertisements, inclusion in roadshows, personal calls and SMS, as well as direct mails, to keep customers informed and urge affected customers to do the replacements. The details of the activities include:
- Mailed more than 2,900,000 letters to affected customers
- Advertised campaigns and issued press releases to notify the public
- Created a notice on the company’s website, made VIN (chassis number) search of affected vehicles available on the website www.honda.com.my or www.productrecall.honda.com.my
- Conducted ‘outreach campaigns’ at all on-ground activities and roadshows
- Sent email to more than 35,800 affected customers
- Blasted more than 2,760,000 SMS to affected customers
- Shared information about the recall in Honda’s With Dreams’ magazine
- Made phone calls to more than 71,700 affected customers
The company has also enhanced the activities for airbag inflator replacement including ensuring 100% stock availability of front and passenger airbag inflators, and increasing service capacity via Service Central Hubs, Mobile Hubs, Hubs at selected Petronas stations, Hubs at Honda roadshow and prioritising replacement activities at dealerships.
As at January 25, 2018, Honda Malaysia has completed more than 221,000 units of Takata driver front airbag inflator which translates to 84% completion ratio. The total number of Takata driver and passenger front airbag inflator replacements completed is at more than 427,000 units or 76% completion ratio.
For City (2003-2008) Year Model, Honda Malaysia has completed more than 93,000 units of Takata driver and passenger front airbag inflator replacements, translating to 77% completion ratio. As with previous incidences of airbag rupture, Honda Malaysia has strongly and urgently advise and continues to encourage (2003-2008) Year Model City owners to get their vehicles inspected and repaired immediately at Honda authorised dealers.
Honda Malaysia continues to appeal to owners of Honda vehicles affected by the Takata front airbag inflator product recall to get their vehicles repaired at Honda authorised dealers as soon as possible. The company also urges any Honda vehicle owners to register their vehicles at the nearest dealers so that any necessary information will be sent out to reach the owners adequately. Vehicle owners can check their vehicles’ product recall status at www.productrecall.honda.com.my or www.honda.com.my or call our toll free number at 1-800-88-2020 or visit any Honda authorised dealers.
Honda Malaysia would like to affirm that the current selling line-up of Honda models do not have the same type of Takata airbag inflators as previous models affected for the recall. All current selling Honda models are not affected.
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Better be safe than sorry. Since Honda notification letters were not sent to the current owner due to change in vehicle ownership.
Malaysians. Things like this, lagi belum jadi, they don’t care to be informed. Everywhere on the internet hoohaa about go check if your airbag affected or not, they never cared to find out.
They just trust Honda mar, Japanese mar, reliable mar.
When tragedy happen, apa salahan saya?!! Why no tell me, i dunno, i dunno!! Semua salahan Honda!!
If they want peace of mind, they shud have just buy a P1 instead.
Jepunis quality No.1! … wait, who said that?
Yup. Accordana OK jerr
Nasib baik Perdana3 pakai Autoliv airbag dari Sweden. P1 mantap berkualiti!
best is deactivate the airbag of all Honday City for this model. it has killed several people in malaysia or maybe JPJ can consider to stop this vehicle on the road to inspect whether they changed the airbag or not.
It is sick to read such new the fatality was not caused by the accident impact but the airbag kill the driver or passenger. Honda doing their best but change of ownership is beyond their control.
The G is surprisingly quiet on this one unlike in other countries. Where is JPJ, JKR, MIROS n co?
Not road problem so they not involved. But u din see PDRM mentioned there kah?
Honda have done their job. If owner themself are so malas to take part, blame the G ka? Own safety also need others to saman u.
Done their part? Sending normal mails and SMS is sufficient? Well, wouldn’t want to work with you brother – you pretty much summed up yourself in your words.
They knew recall notifications never reach the original owners because the car has changed ownerships.Why never bothered to find out contact details of current owner from JPJ?Stupid Honda Malaysia.Just take the easy way out & blame it on the owner.If in US, they’ll kena sue kaw kaw liao for negligence.
well, cheapo things tend to break, that’s why.
Life had been taken and the souls are resting in peace .
No monies or anything can bring them back alive .
It already too late now , damages and lost of love ones are gone forever.
Honda >> period
Can’t Honda and other car manufacturers work with JPJ to ensure current vehicle owners get notified? Just wondering as this is a major safety issue that involves lives.
I felt that honda should work with jpj to obtain latest owners data as opposed to relying on honda’s database which might not be updated especially for 2nd and subsequent owners because its just not the habit of these owners to update honda, afterall the car is without warranty. Moreover non-IT savvy owner e.g elderly, might not even have access to Internet etc.
If it’s that easy it will be done. It’s a Malaysian government department you’re talking about. Honda has really done everything they can to reach out. They even do regular site visits to used car dealers to check, and return to do the replacement on site for the dealers to minimise inconvenience to the dealers.
If you can’t be bothered to spend a few moments to check, you don’t deserve sympathy when the inevitable happens. Non savvy elderly also read newspapers right?
If you ain’t from govt dept, keep your mouth shut. Honda has never approach JPJ for assistance. Watch what you curse for it may “what goes around, comes around”!
The onus is on the owner to update their addresses.
That’s why there’s a database – road transportation department has it, so why dont they reach out to them?
Pretty clear Honda will be required to cough up more which they dont want for damage control issues.
No… even RTD or NRD may not have the updated database if the person him/herselves do not update their addresses..
just get jpj not to renew the roadtax of the moving time bombs…shouldnt be hard for jpj to trace these bombs….
jpj so busy promoting fancy plate numbers. how to find time.. Pffff
How will JPJ knows which vehicle is affected? So ur allegation of “busy promoting fancy plate numbers” has nothing to do with this. Its ur jepunis lords sole fault.
2nd hand dealer sure tell potential buyer the airbag changed already, but in reality not. Buyer bought the car and didn’t bother to check. So who is at fault?
since change in ownership, why can’t Honda work with JPJ to get the latest owner?
I used to own a 2007 honda city which is part of this recall but already traded it in to a honda’s appointed secondhand car dealer in 2015 before the recall was made public, since I purchased another honda then. Until now (it’s been 3 years) honda still sends airbag replacement sms to me countless times, instead of sending it to their secondhand dealer or better yet the new owner.
So, what’s the point shouting about thousands of phone calls and millions of sms if they are not even made to the correct owners? They are just wasting money and time there doing useless things which would have been better spent on working with jpj and related authorities to get in touch with the correct owners.
Besides just sitting there on the side and watching Honda and other affected carmakers do this effort alone, the Government also should do something since this has become a national agenda, it’s the rakyat lives we are talking about. Why can’t JPJ offer to help? With the database that they have they should know who the latest car owners are. Why wait and see? How would you feel if for example the Police knows that a serial killer is out loose targeting certain people and even though the Police has the database of who the targets are, but chose to do nothing just wait and see let the targets get killed?
Are all those who are in power which can make a difference willing to bear the guilt and be able to sleep at night knowing that their choice to do nothing about this has got somebody’s father, mother, child to get killed?
As long not their father, mother, child to get killed. all those who are in power able to sleep at night.
If the 2nd owners address isnt whats stated the how? Just by knowing the name doesnt mean anything. This is not like back in the gud ol days where everyones is on the Yellow Book. So how is this the fault of Gov or JPJ? In US, even the NHTSA doesnt go door to door hollering the 2nd or 3rd owners to come out and get their cars fixed, and u expect MY gov to do that. Pfft!
With pipu now buying cars in hometown state, living in another, and working elsewhere yet not updating their current location with JPJ, how do u expect Gov to do anything? They dun even have to, becoz this is the sole fault & responsibility of the car brands.
Heres a hint, they can get sapot from car insurers becoz those owners mailing address r usually the most updated.
that was the first thing they did, reach out to Jpj. however unfortunately JPJs data is in a mess as well.