State sues Honda, Takata over faulty air bags
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Visitors walk by child seats, manufactured and displayed by Takata Corp. at an automaker’s showroom in Tokyo on May 4.
CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARADVERTISER.COM
Stephen Levins, executive director of the Office of Consumer Protection, shows photos of defective airbags at a press conference today.
Hawaii has filed the first state lawsuit against Honda Motor Co. Ltd. and its auto parts maker for intentionally selling cars that were made with dangerous air bags.
The lawsuit filed in First Circuit Court by the state Office of Consumer Protection for unfair and deceptive practices is seeking the maximum civil penalty of $10,000 per violation. It is also demanding that Honda launch a campaign to alert consumers about the dangers of the defective air bag and the need to seek repairs.
About 70,000 cars with Takata air bags have been sold to Hawaii consumers, though the state said it is not aware of any residents being harmed. Nationally, only one-third to half of these faulty air bags have been replaced.
Hawaii drivers are particularly at risk because of the state’s high temperatures and humidity, which could lead to built up pressure and cause the steel interiors of the air bags to burst, sending shrapnel through the vehicle.
Roughly a dozen individuals have been killed by metal debris when Takata air bags exploded in their cars and more than a hundred have been injured.
“Takata made the decision to switch to cheaper ammonium nitrate to inflate its air bags knowing the risk of the chemical used to propel rockets and for mining and demolition,” said Stephen Levins, executive director of the Office of Consumer Protection, at a press conference today. “Though Takata’s own testing showed that the ammonium nitrate propellant was unpredictable and prone to explode, Takata sold its air bags to automakers knowing they would be installed in vehicles and sold to consumers.”
In addition, Honda continued to sell cars with Takata air bags even when it became aware of the problem and failed to adequately pursue recalls in order to save money while “subjecting consumers to an ongoing risk of serous injury and death.”
“We have companies come into our state and try to take advantage of citizens and put them at risk. Takata and Honda put their own profits and reputations ahead of honesty and their customers’ safety,” Levins said. “There’s a situation that’s intolerable and we’re not going to put up with it. We intend to hold them accountable for their conduct.”
The complaint also names Takata Corp., who made the air bags, American Honda Motor Co. Inc., Honda of America Manufacturing Inc.
Levins said local dealerships have an obligation to fix the air bags, though many do not have sufficient quantity of parts in the islands. Honda owners may not be the only cars affected. Taketa at one time had a 25 percent market share, and at least 11 car manufactures are possibly affected, Levins said.
The state is urging consumers to check if their vehicles are affected at safercar.gov and to make an appointment to have their air bags replaced as soon as possible.
“This is a very, very serious public health issue,” Levins said. “There are serious consequences if this happens to someone.”
16 responses to “State sues Honda, Takata over faulty air bags”
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Call your nearest Honda Dealer, tell them you feel unsafe driving your Honda with Takata airbags, and Honda Dealer will give you a free rent-a-car!!!
Better yet just drive carefully and don’t get into an accident in the first place.
Many accidents are not the driver’s fault. There was at least one fatality on the mainland where a car was rear ended causing the airbag to deploy scattering shrapnel which killed the driver.
there are likely 10’s of thousands of vehicles in Hawaii with Takata air bags. Funny that the air bag is part of the annual safety inspection!!!! Eh Brah we gotta flunk your car cuz the air bag light is on, which means it’s not goin work if you have an accident- how can we pass your car if the air bag can’t kill you!!! LOL
Why is Hawaii the only State doing this. Aren’t there already a number of class action suits pending? Correct me if I am wrong. You know how the State mucks everything up.
State bureaucrats are just following their earlier lead of suing the tobacco companies. All along they claimed the money would go to stop smoking campaigns and smoking related health costs. All lies. http://archives.starbulletin.com/2003/03/25/editorial/commentary.html
Later on elected bureaucrats raided the funds to cover their own personal, pet projects.
Expect the same with this lawsuit. Sad to say just another day in the little 8th world of Hawaii Nei.
They deserve it. Deceptive when asked if Honda crv’s were affected. They initially answered NO.
Now it’s yes ?
how can the affected owners of the vehicles join the state in the suit also; and, in suing the dealers also. i took my car to a dealer, pacific, and received lousy, inconsiderate services.
You can’t. Suits against big business like this requires the use of high profile attorneys that are used to making money from class action suits. It is hilarious that the public forks over the money to buy the car, pay state taxes, registration etc., but then the state collects the money when something goes wrong and you are left with a questionable auto.
The State wants the Takata Corp to help pay for the poor planning & excessive cost of the rail.
The “Sly Japanese” are up to there old tricks again. Just like Pearl Harbor, sneak attack. They are not playing kids game but the literally the game of death. You can’t trust all the Japanese.
You think it ends there? They have all of your kids hypnotized with video games and anime…the subliminal messages are embedded in EVERYTHING. Hello Kitty??? Should be GOODBYE USA KITTY! Probably a micro-bomb in every single one of those cutesy kitty merchandise that almost every kid is carrying around with them…
Are you taking a break from desecrating cemeteries or something?
Here come the Japanese bashers! Some people have nothing better to do than to criticize, bash, and whine about something or someone.
People here shouldn’t be too excited. The general public will not smell a penny unless the state is demanding through the suit that owners are entitled to compensation. AND if you join one of the class action suits against the company, the bulk will go to attorney’s fees and you will receive a check for around $14.32 and a very disingenuous “sorry”.
Hawaii instead of taking the $10,000 per violation, give it to the affected car owners.