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Takata airbag recalls add another 5 million vehicles

The Takata airbag inflator recall expanded by about 6.5 million vehicles recently when Toyota and Nissan announced global expansions to replace the faulty parts. You can add another 5 million more as Honda and Daihatsu also broaden their replacement campaigns. Although in this latest case, none of the affected models are in the United States or Canada. Honda is recalling 4.89 million more vehicles globally, and Daihatsu has about 260,000 to repair in Japan, according to Automotive News. With these latest expansions, all of the affected automakers have needed to fix about 36 million vehicles globally for these faulty airbags since 2008. Some of the first instances of these problems were found in an Isuzu campaign in 2001. This latest round of recalls was sparked by a study from Takata that found the inflators' propellant could be affected by moisture over time. While the automakers received this information in March, it took time to determine the number of vehicles in need of repair and where they were located, according to Automotive News. To make sure all of the affected vehicles in the US are repaired in a timely fashion, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reportedly considering a strategy to force things to speed up. Honda and Toyota are already using outside suppliers for the parts they need. Related Video: News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Shizuo Kambayashi / AP Photo Recalls Honda Daihatsu Safety Takata airbag recall

Honda issues second Fit window recall, this time for 143k units

Honda has announced it is recalling certain 2007-2008 Fit models in the US to fix what could have been faulty repairs made in a previous round of recalls. The vehicles may have been manufactured with a master driver's window switch that could allow rain water or spilled liquids into the switch. If that happens, the liquids could cause the switch to overheat, melt and potentially damage the vehicle's wiring or cause a fire. Honda says no accidents or injuries have been reported due to the problem, but warns owners to park their Fit hatchbacks outside until a dealer can inspect the switch.
All told, the recall covers 143,083 Fit units. Back in 2010, Honda recalled the 2002-2008 model-year Fit for the same issue. That recall covered some 646,000 units worldwide after a two-year-old child in Cape Town, South Africa burnt to death while sleeping in a Fit. Honda says the repair made during that round of recalls may not have been sufficient, and the latest fix should take care of the problem for good.
You can read the full press release on the latest round of recalls below for more information.

Surprise! McLaren and Honda finally call it quits

It's been coming for a long while, so it should surprise no one to learn that McLaren and Honda have finally called it quits. Sources confirmed to Motorsport.com and Sky Sports that the two companies have finally settled on a deal that will end a partnership that has been nothing but heartache and tears. McLaren has reportedly inked a three-year deal to use Renault engines, ending in 2020 along with the current engine regulations. This also means McLaren driver Fernando Alonso is likely to extend his contract beyond the end of this season. When Honda first announced it was returning to F1 with McLaren, fans had visions of Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button reliving the glory days of Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in the late 1980s. The truth couldn't be further removed. At points, McLaren has struggled to make it the full race distance, much less win races and fight for championships. Frankly, it's been embarrassing for both Honda and McLaren. No one comes out a winner here. Honda has sullied any reputation it had in F1, while Alonso's talent and McLaren's engineering expertise were both wasted the past few seasons. According to Motorsport.com, McLaren will get the same engine parity as the factory Renault Sport team as well as Red Bull Racing. Assuming that McLaren can provide a competitive chassis, that should vault it at least into the middle of the pack. Team principal Zak Brown hasn't been quiet about his frustrations. After both McLaren drivers failed to finish in Italy, Brown told Sky Sports, "We need to get more competitive. This weekend showed we're not making any significant progress." Meanwhile, Toro Rosso will switch from Renault to Honda power, with Toro Rosso driver Carlos Sainz Jr. making the move to Renault. What that means for Red Bull's junior team is unclear. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.