Honda announces India's largest vehicle recall

To replace airbag inflators in 223,578 cars

Japanese carmaker Honda has said it will voluntarily recall 223,578 vehicles manufactured between 2003 and 2011 to replace airbag inflators, the single-largest recall in the Indian passenger vehicle market. Through the exercise, set to begin on October 12, the company will recall the City, Civic, Jazz and CR-V models.

With this, Honda has surpassed the likes of GM and Ford, in terms of companies recalling vehicles in large numbers at a go.

“The replacement would be carried out free of cost at Honda Car dealerships across India in a phased manner, starting October 12, and the company will communicate with customers directly,” read a company statement.

Most of the replacements relate to driver-side airbag inflators. An inflator helps inflate airbags in case of a major collision.

This is the fourth recall by Honda in 15 months. In May this year, it had recalled 11,381 units of the Accord, CR-V and Civic manufactured between 2003 and 2007 to replace a faulty part in passenger and driver-side airbags.

In July last year, the company recalled 1,338 units of the Accord and CR-V models manufactured between 2002 and 2003 to replace faulty inflators in the passenger-side airbags. Subsequently, in October 2014, it recalled 2,338 units of the Brio, Amaze and CR-V manufactured between September 2011 and July 2014 to replace faulty inflators.

India does not have a mandatory recall policy for vehicles, though companies have voluntarily announced recalls from time to time. With today's announcement, about a million passenger vehicles have been recalled by different domestic players since July 2012 when industry body Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers announced a voluntary recall code for its member companies.