Nearly 100,000 Honda and Acura vehicles are subject to a safety recall due to a defect that may cause front passenger airbags to deploy with full force, posing a significant risk to smaller occupants, including children. The recall affects models such as the Honda Accord, Civic, and CR-V, which are equipped with an occupant classification system intended to protect passengers in the event of an accident.
The defect stems from a hardware issue in the weight sensor embedded in the front passenger seat. This sensor is designed to deactivate the airbags when it detects the presence of an infant seat or child. However, a capacitor on the sensor's printed circuit board may crack over time, leading to a failure to suppress airbag deployment. This issue was linked to a natural disaster that impacted a secondary supplier, which subsequently altered the materials used in manufacturing without proper testing.
Owners of affected vehicles are encouraged to check for any pending recalls by visiting the NHTSA website and entering their vehicle identification number (VIN). The VIN can be located in various places, such as the driver’s side dashboard or on registration documents.