Takata Airbag Inflator Recall Fact Sheet
October 19, 2015
This document provides customers and other stakeholders with current, factual information on the Takata airbag
inflator recall as it pertains to Honda and Acura in the United States. Unless otherwise noted, all information
concerns the U.S. market only.

Table of Contents (use ctrl + click to jump to section)
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Section 1: Total Vehicles Recalled
Section 2: Injuries & Deaths
Section 3: Dealer Repair & Rental Policy
Section 4: Recall Repair Completion Rate
Section 5: Parts Supply Outlook
Section 6: Customer Notification Tactics
Section 7: Summary of Affected Honda & Acura Models
Section 8: A Note to News Media Covering this Issue

Total Vehicles Recalled
Approximately 6.28 million Honda and Acura vehicles in the U.S. are subject to a recall or Safety Improvement
Campaign related to Takata airbag inflator ruptures. Because certain, specific vehicles are subject to more than
one recall (for example, both a driver and passenger airbag inflator recall) approximately 9.91 million total Takata
airbag inflators have been recalled.

Injuries & Deaths
Honda has confirmed six deaths and more than 60 injuries in the U.S. related to Takata airbag driver's front inflator
ruptures. All of these events occurred in vehicles now covered by recalls and/or campaigns. Honda sincerely
apologizes to all individuals impacted by this issue, and extends our deepest, heartfelt sympathies to the families
of those who have lost loved ones.
Date of Crash
5/27/09
12/24/09
9/7/14
9/29/14
1/18/15
4/5/15

Location of Crash
Oklahoma
Virginia
California
Florida
Texas
Louisiana

On Friday, October 9, 2015, Honda confirmed that the Takata driver’s airbag inflator ruptured in the crash of a
2002 Acura TL on September 3, 2013 in Alhambra, CA. However, Honda is still evaluating whether or to what
extent the rupture of the airbag inflator contributed to the death of the driver of the vehicle.
Honda and the news media have been aware of the crash since October 2014, and the company has actively
sought opportunities to inspect the vehicle since that time. Access to the vehicle was granted on October 9, 2015
and Honda performed an inspection that confirmed the rupture of the driver’s airbag inflator. However, due to the
unique circumstances of this particular collision, and because Honda was only recently served with the family’s
lawsuit regarding this matter, the effort to determine the facts surrounding the cause of the deceased’s injuries
continues.

Takata Airbag Inflator Recall Fact Sheet
October 19, 2015
Outside the U.S., Honda has confirmed one death in Malaysia related to the rupture of a single-stage Takata
driver's front airbag inflator, which is a different type of inflator that was never utilized in Honda or Acura vehicles
in the U.S.

Dealer Repair & Rental Policy
Authorized Honda and Acura dealerships will make appropriate repairs at no charge to the customer. If there is a
delay in repairing an affected vehicle, or if an owner requests alternative transportation while the repair is in
process, Honda and Acura dealers are authorized to provide a free loaner or rental vehicle.

Recall Repair Completion Rate
In recent months, Honda and Acura dealers have replaced upwards of 24,000 Takata airbag inflators on a daily
basis. This pace of repair is unprecedented in Honda’s history. In total, more than 3.9 million Takata inflators have
now been replaced.
Repair Completion Rate as of 10/15/15
National
39.5%
High Absolute Humidity (HAH) Zone*
41.5%
To compare this completion rate with other industry recalls, Honda analyzed 14 unrelated automotive recall
campaigns, with a combined volume of more than eight million vehicles. While Honda found completion rates of
up to 80 percent for vehicles in the first year of ownership, the company also found that the completion
th
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percentage declines with each passing year, to around 33 percent in the 9 and 10 year of ownership. So,
considering the scale of the recall and the age of the vehicles involved, Honda is making good progress.
*Honda's HAH zone is broader than the area originally identified by the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) and
includes: Florida; Hawaii; Georgia; Alabama; Louisiana; Mississippi; Texas; South Carolina; California; North Carolina; Arkansas; Saipan;
American Samoa; the U.S. Virgin Islands; and Puerto Rico.

Parts Supply Outlook
With replacement inflator supplies from Daicel, Autoliv and TRW supplementing Takata inflator production, Honda
has sufficient supplies of replacement inflators – with no replacement inflators on back order for any affected
vehicle – and is well positioned to manage incoming demand. These replacement inflators comply with third-party
performance requirements and have been thoroughly tested to ensure their safe operation.

Ongoing Customer Notification Efforts
By the end of July, at least one mailed notification, and in many cases several, had been sent to each and every
registered owner of affected Honda and Acura vehicles in the United States. We have supplemented mailed
notifications with the following actions:
Centralized Web Resource
• Honda established a dedicated website (http://hondaairbaginfo.com/) for affected owners and
stakeholders to view information, news and updates concerning the recall.
Phone Calls
• Customer Relations associates have made millions of direct and automated phone calls to affected
owners. It is now Honda’s practice to use automated calls to alert customers in advance of mailed
notifications.

Takata Airbag Inflator Recall Fact Sheet
October 19, 2015
Targeted Advertising – Call to Action
• In March, Honda began a multi-million dollar advertising campaign
in Spanish and English that included full-page, color
advertisements in more than 120 newspapers, and 30-second
radio announcements in more than 110 markets. The campaign
targeted 11 states and U.S. territories that have been identified as
representing the greatest risk to affected owners.
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In October, Honda initiated a new round of print, digital and radio
advertising.

Social Media Engagement
• Honda found that social media is an effective way to raise
awareness, since users comment and share posts with their
friends and family members who may drive affected vehicles.
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Honda is currently running sponsored, customized Facebook posts
that target specific individuals who own affected vehicles. The
posts mention the make and model of the vehicle in question.
In October, Honda’s Customer Service Twitter account
(@HondaCustSvc) changed its banner image to raise awareness of
Takata airbag inflator recalls, and pinned a Tweet explaining how
to quickly check a vehicle for open recalls online.

Full page ads in English and Spanish
newspapers are designed to grab readers’
attention and urge them to get their vehicles
repaired.

Honda Customer Service is using social media, including Twitter and
Facebook, to respond to the concerns of customers affected by Takata airbag
inflator recalls.

Employees’ Friends & Family Campaign
Sponsored Facebook posts target
What began as an idea by a group of associates (employees) has become
specific, affected owners and highlight
a campaign that provides all of Honda’s U.S. associates (nearly 30,000)
the Honda or Acura model they drive.
with materials and information to help them raise awareness among their
own friends and family – and pass the word to others. This campaign has resulted in several repairs to date.
Unique Efforts
• Honda has been working with CARFAX - the most comprehensive vehicle
history database available in North America - to improve recall efforts and
add open recall alerts to the CARFAX history for affected vehicles.

Takata Airbag Inflator Recall Fact Sheet
October 19, 2015
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Honda has enlisted the services of special, private investigative firms to contact certain hard-to-reach
owners.

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To prevent the possibility that an affected Takata airbag
inflator can ever be used as a replacement part, Honda has
been searching salvage yards nationwide to find and secure
(purchase) recalled inflators. This voluntary effort has
successfully removed more than 11,000 inflators from
salvage yards, and the effort continues.

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Honda is in the process of wrapping more than 300 American
Honda Parts & Service trucks with graphics, transforming
them into rolling billboards that encourage affected owners
to take immediate action. These trucks will cover more than
100,000 miles per day, all across the country, when the
process is complete.

Honda has transformed Parts & Service trucks
into rolling billboards. The trucks cover more
than 100,000 miles per day, exposing the
issue to drivers across the country.

Summary of Affected Honda & Acura Models (certain specific vehicles only)
Model Year(s)
2001-2007
2001-2005
2002-2006
2003-2011
2002-2004
2003-2008
2006
2003-2006
2002-2003
2003
2005

Model
Honda Accord
Honda Civic
Honda CR-V
Honda Element
Honda Odyssey
Honda Pilot
Honda Ridgeline
Acura MDX
Acura TL
Acura CL
Acura RL

***A Note to News Media Covering this Issue***
Many in the news media have joined us in urging the public to continuously check their vehicles for open recalls,
and if necessary, to take immediate action to complete the repair. We sincerely appreciate the support. We
continue to encourage you to include the following information in your story, in addition to the list of affected
Honda and Acura models listed above:
Honda continues to urge owners of Honda and Acura vehicles affected by the Takata airbag inflator recalls to get
their vehicles repaired at an authorized dealership as soon as possible. The authorized dealership will make
appropriate repairs at no charge to the customer. If there is a delay in repairing an affected vehicle, Honda and
Acura dealers are authorized to provide a free loaner or rental vehicle until the recall repair can be completed.
Honda and Acura owners can check their vehicles’ recall status at www.recalls.honda.com and
www.recalls.acura.com or by calling (888) 234-2138.