U.S. safety officials are urging drivers of some 313,000 older Hondas and Acuras to get their air bag inflators repaired after new tests revealed a danger.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced Thursday that data reveals that there is up to a 50% chance that Takata inflators can explode during a crash, according to CBS News.
“These vehicles are unsafe and need to be repaired immediately,” Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “Folks should not drive these vehicles unless they are going straight to a dealer to have them repaired.”
Takata inflators could explode with too much force, which could injure passengers by sending metal shrapnel flying, according to CBS. At least 11 people have died from the inflators and more than 100 injuries have been reported worldwide.
The NHTSA’s advisory is for vehicles that are up to 16 years old, including 2001 and 2002 Honda Civics and Accords, the 2002 and 2003 Acura TL, the 2002 Honda Odyssey and CR-V. Older inflators are more susceptible to malfunction, especially those in high heat and humidity areas, such as along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
Honda said in a statement that it has more than enough replacement parts, according to CBS, to immediately fix the cars, but that many remain unrepaired after attempts to reach out to owners.
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