NHTSA Complaint #11243916 — 2003 HONDA ACCORD

TAKATA RECALL: MY SON WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT OVER 60 MPH WHEN THE SIDE AIRBAG (DRIVER SIDE) SPONTANEOUSLY DEPLOYED. IT SLAMMED INTO HIS LEFT ARM WITH EXTREME FORCE,KNOCKING HIM TOWARD THE PASSENGER DOOR MAKING HIM SWERVE IN FRONT OF AN 18 WHEELER. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG THEN DEPLOYED AND AS HE WAS TRYING TO PULL OFF THE INTERSTATE THE PASSENGER FRONT AIR BAG DEPLOYED. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP IN THE AREA BETWEEN THE ON RAMP AND THE INTERSTATE, AS HE EXITED THE VEHICLE THE DRIVER FRONT AIRBAG DEPLOYED. MAY 2016 THE AIRBAGS AND IGNITION RECALL REPAIRS WERE DONE. AFTER INCIDENT DEALERSHIP RAN DIAGNOSTICS AND SAID ALL HE COULD SEE WAS THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE SRS UNIT. HE ASKED US IF WE HAD MADE ANY ELECTRICAL MODIFICATIONS (WHICH WE HAVEN'T) I ASKED HIM IF THAT PART HAD BEEN CHECKED OR REPLACED DURING THE RECALL AND HE SAID THAT WASN'T PART OF THE RECALL. HE SAID WE SHOULD CALL HONDA CUSTOMER SERVICE. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION I LEARNED THERE HAVE BEEN RECALLS ON THE REPLACEMENTS BECAUSE OF MOISTURE BEING INTRODUCED DURING MANUFACTURING.ALSO THERE HAVE BEEN PROBLEMS WITH CORROSION AND MALFUNCTION OF THE SRS UNITS DUE TO EXTREME TEMPERATURES AND HIGH HUMIDITY. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THE HEAT INDEX WAS 110 AND THE HUMIDITY WAS EXTREMELY HIGH. ARKANSAS IS LOCATED IN THE SECOND OF THREE PRIORITY REGIONS FOR THE SRS RECALL.ALSO WHILE RESEARCHING SPONTANEOUS AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT CAUSES, I LEARNED THAT THE SRS UNIT MOISTURE PROBLEM AND THE DEGRADATION OF ACCELERANT FROM MOISTURE CAN NOT ONLY CAUSE THE AIRBAGS TO NOT DEPLOY ON IMPACT, BUT ALSO CAUSE THEM TO DEPLOY WITH NO IMPACT. THIS INFORMATION SHOULD BE INCLUDED IN THE RECALL INFORMATION AND HONDA SHOULD EXPAND THE SRS RECALL. WE ARE LUCKY LIVES WERE NOT LOST IN THIS INCIDENT, BUT THAT MAY NOT BE THE CASE THE NEXT TIME THIS HAPPENS.