Last December 2017, Honda Cars Philippines, Inc. (HCPI) announced a voluntary recall for selected Honda vehicles because of a defective airbag inflator manufactured from 2001 to 2015. It was discovered that during deployment of airbags in frontal collision, fragments of the inflator (the device responsible for the rapid inflation of the airbag) shoots out in different directions, posing the possibility of hitting the car occupants. In some cases in other countries, this occurrence has resulted in death.

To date, HCPI says that 50 percent of the affected vehicles have been successfully recalled and repaired. This was made possible by the concerted effort between HCPI and its dealerships of reaching out to customers through numerous mails, text messages, phone calls, and through broadcast, print and online announcements. They have also sought the help of the government to reach out to people.

However, despite the continuing effort, there are still remaining vehicles that have yet to be brought to dealership for repair. It is important that both driver and passenger sides airbag inflators have to be replaced for some models. Thus, HCPI is reiterating its urgent appeal for owners of affected vehicles to bring their cars to various Honda Dealerships. The repair is free of charge and only takes an hour to perform.

Customers can easily check if their vehicle is affected by visiting this link and simply inputting their car’s Vehicle Identification Number or VIN. The VIN is a 17-digit number that can be found on the vehicle registration or from the warranty booklet. Customers may also call Honda hotline numbers at 1-800-1000-HONDA (46632) or (02) 857-7240 between 8 AM to 5 PM from Monday to Friday or through email at update [at] hondaphil.com.

The Airbag Recall campaign is an unprecedented challenge that is facing not only Honda but the whole automotive industry worldwide. While Takata supplies the affected inflator part to various car manufacturers globally, Honda is actively spearheading the campaign to ensure that its customers are protected from possible harm from the defective part. As always, safety of our customers is our paramount concern.