Skip to main content

Check to see if your Honda or Acura vehicle is part of the latest Takata recall

The Takata airbag recall seems never-ending, with this latest one announced by Honda demonstrating that the whole sorry saga is capable of throwing up some bizarre twists, too.

The Japanese automaker announced on Tuesday, March 15 that it’s recalling 1.1 million Honda and Acura vehicles in the U.S. to replace faulty Takata airbag inflators which themselves were fitted as part of an earlier replacement program.

Recommended Videos

That’s right — it’s a recall recalling airbags fitted as part of a previous recall.

Honda said the inflators that need changing could — like other faulty Takata inflators — rupture and spray shrapnel inside the car, potentially causing fatal injuries to its occupants.

Tens of millions of vehicles made by pretty much every major automaker have been impacted by the Takata recalls, with the faulty inflators linked to more than 20 deaths and 300 injuries globally over the last decade.

With that in mind, you should act swiftly if your Honda or Acura vehicle is part of this latest recall.

What to do

Fifteen different vehicle models built between 2001 and 2016 are being called in by Honda. We’ve listed them at the end of this article. The recall notice said owners should check their vehicle’s status as soon as possible and, if necessary, take their car to a dealer for repair. This can be done at recalls.acura.com and recalls.honda.com or by calling (888) 234-2138. The company will also send out reminder notices by mail starting in early April.

“Replacement parts are available, all from alternate suppliers, to begin free recall repairs immediately, and a free rental car is available to the vehicle owner for the day of the recall repair or longer if a replacement part is temporarily unavailable,” Honda said.

Manufacturing error

In a statement, the company explained that the vehicles involved in this recall “were previously repaired using specific Takata desiccated replacement inflators (PSDI-5D) or entire replacement airbag modules containing these inflators,” though neither were subject to a recall at that time. But those replacement inflators have now been deemed defective.

Honda said it became aware of a potential issue after learning of a single-vehicle crash involving a 2004 Honda Odyssey. In the incident, the Odyssey’s driver-side airbag deployed and the Takata replacement inflator ruptured, injuring the driver’s arm.

A subsequent investigation revealed that the PSDI-5D inflators experienced manufacturing process errors that introduced excessive moisture into the inflator during assembly.

As has already been learned with the Takata recall, moisture within the sealed inflator can lead to accelerated propellant degradation over time, resulting in higher than normal inflator pressure when the airbag deploys.

“If a recalled driver front airbag deploys in a crash, its inflator may rupture, potentially shooting sharp metal fragments at the driver and passengers,” Honda warned.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has described the ongoing Takata airbag inflator recall as “the largest and most complex vehicle recall in U.S. history.” It said it expects that a total of around 70 million defective Takata airbag inflators will have been recalled by 19 automakers by the end of this year, with around 17 million still in need of replacement.

Below are the Acura and Honda models included in the recall announced on March 12, 2019:

• 2003 Acura 3.2CL
• 2013-2016 Acura ILX
• 2003-2006 Acura MDX
• 2002-2003 Acura 3.2TL
• 2004-2006 and 2009-2014 Acura TL
• 2007-2016 Acura RDX
• 2010-2013 Acura ZDX
• 2001-2007 and 2009 Honda Accord
• 2001-2005 Honda Civic
• 2002-2007 and 2010-2011 Honda CR-V
• 2003-2011 Honda Element
• 2007 Honda Fit
• 2002-2004 Honda Odyssey
• 2003-2008 Honda Pilot
• 2006-2014 Honda Ridgeline

Trevor Mogg
Contributing Editor
Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…
This week in EV tech: Audi exemplifies auto industry’s EV holding pattern
Close-up of 2025 Audi SQ5 grille, headlight, and badge.

The road to the future runs through the present, and it’s not a straight line. This week, we’re focusing on how Audi is negotiating the twists and turns on the way to an electrified future. EVs are here to stay at Audi, but a gasoline crossover SUV is still the automaker’s bestselling model, and it’s not ready to risk those sales just yet. That’s why the 2025 Audi Q5 received a top-to-bottom overhaul for this model year, bringing its tech features and styling up to date without altering the what has proven to be a very popular package. By maintaining parallel lineups of electric and internal-combustion cars, Audi hopes to give customers more choices. But that doesn’t completely level the playing field. The new Q5 may have yesterday’s powertrain, but Audi isn’t holding back on tech. It features the same electrical architecture, operating system, and three-screen dashboard display as the latest Audi EVs, like the Q6 e-tron. So aside from a little engine noise, there’s little difference in what you can see and interact with from the driver’s seat. It’s not just the infotainment systems. The Q5 and Q6 e-tron are close in size, with similar space for passengers across their two rows of seats. The Q6 e-tron has a bit more cargo space, but not as much as you’d think given the lack of a bulky engine, transmission, and driveshafts. The two SUVs also have similar styling but, having now driven both, we can say that the Q5 is the more pleasant of the two.

More than a difference of powertrain tech

Read more
Take a peek inside the factory making tomorrow’s ride
A Zoox robotaxi.

Amazon-owned Zoox has opened its first facility producing fully autonomous robotaxis. 

A video (above) released by the California-based company offers a peek inside the factory, which, when it reaches full capacity, could roll out as many as 10,000 autonomous vehicles per year.

Read more
The week in EV tech: 900 miles, 12 minutes—EV charging just hit warp speed
byd 900 miles 12 minutes seal

Welcome to Digital Trends’ weekly recap of the revolutionary technology powering, connecting, and now driving next-gen electric vehicles. 
If you’re hesitant about electric vehicles (EV), it’s likely that your top concerns include how far you can drive in a single charge, how long it takes to charge the battery, and how much this advanced tech will cost you. And you're not alone.
According to Deloitte’s 2025 Global Automotive Consumer Study, nearly half of U.S. consumers (49%) still say that available battery driving range is their biggest worry about EVs. That’s followed closely by the time required to charge (46%) and the lingering cost premium (44%) associated with battery electric vehicles.
But that narrative may finally be flipping. Just this past week, two developments showcase how much EV technology has evolved over the past decade: China’s BYD is breaking new grounds on just how far you can drive an EV on a single 12-minute charge. Meanwhile, the Nissan Leaf, seen as the first mass-market EV in 2010, is getting an impressive upgrade even as it remains one of the most affordable options on the market.

BYD’s bold battery bet
Chinese auto giant BYD, already the world’s top-selling EV manufacturer, may have just redrawn the limits of battery performance. According to Chinese media, and other reports, the company is testing a new solid-state battery that can add 900 miles of range in just 12 minutes of charging.
Let that sink in. That’s nearly four times the range of many current EVs—enough to drive from New York to Chicago —and charging that’s as fast as a coffee stop.

Read more