Honda Motor Company announced it is recalling another 2.2 million Honda and Acura vehicles due to driver's side airbag inflators made by Takata. The faulty part can explode and throw shrapnel into the cabin of the vehicle.

This latest recall includes cars as old as 2005, but there are a few 2015 and 2016 models included as well. This brings the grand total of cars recalled for Takata inflators up to 24 million in the U.S. The problem has caused 11 deaths and 139 injuries worldwide.

 

The reason for the malfunction is what Takata uses to ignite their airbags. The company uses ammonium nitrate to create an tiny explosion. But over time, the chemical can degrade, especially when exposed to heat and humidity. This can cause a larger-than-intended explosion and can even blow apart a metal cylinder, meant as a fail safe to contain the blast.

 

Honda is Takata's largest customer, but the Japanese auto maker has stopped purchasing inflators from them for their new models.

 

Honda also announced that close to another 365,000 Honda and Acura vehicles would be recalled for a separate airbag issue. In this case, moisture can get into an electronic control unit and cause the airbag to not inflate in a crash. Drivers will see a supplemental restraint system warning light on their dashboard if this is an issue.