Hundreds of thousands of vehicles are being recalled by different automobile manufacturers because they all face the same dangerous issue: a crash could lead to an airbag deployment that poses a laceration threat to consumers.
The recalls were announced by Nissan and Honda. In Nissan’s case, the recall pertains to Infiniti QX4, I35, FX45, and FX35 vehicles, Pathfinder vehicles, and Maxima vehicles of the 2001 through 2003 model years (the company is also concerned that Sentras could be impacted). Honda is recalling Odysseys, CR-Vs, and Civics of the 2001 through 2003 model years. A total of 826,784 vehicles are impacted by the dual recalls.
The safety issue involves the side airbags on the passenger side of the vehicles, and whether a previous crash necessitated the deployment and subsequent replacement of this airbag matters not; the vehicle would still be affected by the recall. Because of excessive forces, the inflator on these airbags is in danger of rupturing. This could cause pieces of metal to shoot into the cabin. If they strike someone, that person could suffer an injury beyond what could be expected in a crash.
The Honda recall is set for May 11, but Nissan does not yet have a timetable on their recall. Both safety directives will require notification of owners and a return of the vehicles to a dealer for free repairs.