Spurred by safety concerns, Honda is recalling approximately 400,000 North American vehicles due to the possibility of airbag deployment at random times as opposed to only upon impact as intended. The recall affects 2003 and 2004 Honda Odysseys and the 2003 Honda Accura MDX that were sold in the United States and Canada.
Honda claims that the defective unit has not caused any collisions at this point but acknowledges that there have been several reports of non-crash airbag deployments, prompting the move to recall the affected units and to install an electrical noise filter, which is believed to prevent electrical interference that is causing the malfunctions.
An improper airbag deployment can be a very dangerous situation as an airbag deploys at a high rate of speed and occupies much of the area where a passenger resides. In the case of a driver, an airbag located in a dashboard or steering wheel is designed to deploy quickly and efficiently, cushioning the driver and preventing the driver’s body from striking a hard surface at the front of the vehicle. To ensure this occurs, an airbag takes up most of the free space between where a driver sits and the steering wheel, meaning that a fully deployed airbag almost always obscures a driver’s vision and ability to see the road. Preventing a driver from the ability to see traffic is inherently dangerous and likely to cause a crash, even if one has not yet occurred.
Owners of the recalled vehicles should contact their local dealerships for more information and to learn about the procedures to follow for obtaining a proper fix to this issue, including whether it is safe to continue driving your vehicle at the present time. Honda has stated that all registered owners of the recalled cars and SUVs will be notified in writing of the issue as well.
When a safety defect or hazard results in an injury to you or your family member, you have legal rights and may be entitled to a financial recovery for your damages. A personal injury attorney can help you understand the legal facts in your case and what options may be available to you, including the possibility of pursuing a civil claim for your losses.
At Abels & Annes, P.C., we are Phoenix car accident lawyers who believe in fighting for the rights of victims. We are here to help you and to do so, we have a lawyer standing by 24 hours a day to take your call at (602) 819-5191 or toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER. If you have been hurt in an auto accident, call us today and take advantage of our free, no obligation telephone consultation where our legal team will help you understand your rights and whether the law may provide you with the chance of a monetary settlement.
Prior Blog Entries:
Elderly Driver Crashes Into Gilbert Building, Kills 1, Injures 11, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published September 30, 2013.
Babysitter’s Dogs Maul 2-Year-Old Boy, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published September 27, 2013.
Resources:
Honda Recalls Odyssey Minivans, Acura MDX SUVs For Airbag Defect, Associated Press/Huffington Post, published September 19, 2013.
Honda recalls 374,000 Odyssey minivans, Acura SUVs, by Chris Woodyard, USA Today, published September 19, 2013.