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TOKYO, February 10, 2010 (AP)
Honda Motor Co. is adding 437,000 vehicles to its 15-month old global recall for faulty airbags in the latest quality problem to hit a Japanese automaker.
The company will replace the driver's side air bag inflator on the cars because they can deploy with too much pressure, causing the inflator to rupture and injure or kill the driver.
Japan's No. 2 automaker originally announced the recall to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in November 2008 and the total of number vehicles recalled since then is approaching 1 million.
The latest expansion of the airbag recall includes 378,000 cars in the U.S., some 41,000 cars in Canada and 17,000 cars in Japan, Australia and elsewhere in Asia. The North American recall was announced Tuesday and followed Wednesday by the recall in Asia.
Honda's announcement comes at a time of increased attention on automotive recalls. Though the problems are unrelated, rival Toyota Motor Corp. is in the process of recalling more than 8 million cars and trucks due to faulty gas pedals. On Tuesday, Toyota said it would recall more than 440,000 of its flagship 2010 Prius and other hybrids due to a braking glitch.
"There is a heightened sensitivity right now to anything to do with recalls," said John Mendel, executive vice president of sales for American Honda.
Honda's latest U.S. recall airbag affects certain 2001 and 2002 Accord sedans, Civic compacts, Odyssey minivans, CR-V small sport utility vehicles and some 2002 Acura TL sedans.
The recall now affects 952,118 vehicles, including certain 2001 and 2002 Accord sedans, Civic compacts, Odyssey minivans, CR-V small sport utility vehicles and some 2002 Acura TL sedans.
In Japan, the recall covers three models, including the 2001 sedan Inspire.
Honda said it is aware of 12 incidents linked to the problem — one death in May 2009 and 11 injuries. The company said it is not aware of any problems happening after July 2009.
The automaker's original announcement to NHTSA in November 2008 involved fewer than 4,000 2001 Accords and Civics. The recall was expanded in July of 2009 to 440,000 vehicles including the 2001 and 2002 Accord and Civic, as well as certain 2002 Acura TL sedans.
Company officials said the airbag produces too much pressure that can cause the inflator to rupture, sending metal fragments toward the driver.
Honda says owners should take their vehicles to dealerships as soon as they are notified by the company in writing. Notification will begin during the month of February.
Last month Honda recalled 646,000 Fit hatchbacks worldwide because of a glitch that could cause water to enter the power window mechanism, causing components to overheat.
The Fit recall affects 2007-2008 models. The Fit is sold in other countries as the Jazz and City. The recall affects Asia, Latin America, Europe, South Africa and North America. About 140,000 vehicles are affected in the U.S.
By PAULO SUBIDO
January 22, 2010, 2:42pm
Who wouldn’t want protection from the sun, stone chips, scratches and abrasion when our climate and urban environment is a battleground. Your car’s paint is the first victim, and if given the chance, we’d want our cars to retain their luster for a lifetime.
That prospect is quite unlikely, but with Foilacar technology, the possibility of at least protecting your paint for three years (before resale value declines dramatically) is now a definite reality. Lester Codog, managing director of Foilacar Manila, is the first man to bring this practical automobile service into the country. Located in Karport at Bonifacio Global City, the shop is now open for business.
How does Foilacar technology work and where did it come from? It’s pretty straightforward really. The entire car is wrapped in protective film, but making sure that there aren’t any flaws is the hard part. ‘Foil’ technology become popular 15 years ago in Germany with ambulances, military vehicles, police cars, taxis, and aircraft.
All of them were ‘wrapped’ in work garb because the units were leased to operators. Every two years the cars have to be replaced, so they then unwrapped the vehicles and returned them to the manufacturer (in pristine paint condition). From there the car is sold again. This is much more practical than repainting the entire vehicle — and cheaper.
Technology has advanced since then, but the process is still quite tricky and requires trained professionals. Lester’s workforce have plenty of experience, having foiled million-peso exotics in Dubai.
The most important guideline is that the process must not be done on a repainted car because it will not survive the ‘renewal’ process. Meaning, when the film is removed the paint might come off with it. Only a factory paintjob can handle it.
“Foilacar Manila’s promise,” said Lester, “is to return your car to brand-new condition.” Installation is actually not an issue. The issue is proper removal. That’s Foilacar’s edge.
It takes five to seven days to foil an entire car, and it is under warranty for eight years. Should owners worry about their cars being damaged when the film is removed? Nope, because Lester guarantees that it can be completely removed without any trace.
Basic clear protection foil is priced at roughly P50,000. Matte black, carbon-fiber and, day-glo colors are upwards of that. Gold chrome and chrome are in the P500,000 range, and a diamond or crystal encrusted foil will set you back P1,000,000.
“In the future, I want everybody to install the clear foil right after buying a brand-new car. After three years you can remove the foil and the car won’t have any scratches. You can then sell the car at a very high resale value because it will totally look brand-new, plus it saves the user from another paint job, costs of auto detailing and various chemicals to reduce scratches,” he said.
The foil is also completely invincible and does not need any special maintenance. Heat from the sun also ‘heals’ the foil when it is damaged.
Those gold-plated or chrome Bugatti Veyrons and Mercedes-Benz SLRs that have been making their rounds on the net aren’t really ‘plated’ or ‘chromed’. Those crazy ‘paintjobs’ aren’t paint but protective foil.
Changing the color of your car is now made easy, but the most important benefit is protection. Aesthetically your ride can be transformed into a head-turner and at the same time be resistant to weathering and scratches. Pinoys like dressing up their cars, Lester said, and he knows that we will do anything to protect our investments.
For those who want to remain low-key, clear foil is the way to go. Lester hopes to see that all cars that roll out of the showroom floor are protected by clear foil. It’s a practical way to protect your investment — and it makes complete sense.
PERRARI
Ferrari California
Manufacturer: Ferrari
Class: Grand tourer
Body style:(s) 2-door, 4-seat Convertible
Transmission:(s) 7-speed dual-clutch automated
Engine:(s) 4,297 cc (262.2 cu in) 90° V8
Fuel capacity: 78 L (21 US gal; 17 imp gal)[
Designer: Pininfarina (exterior)
Bertone: (interior)[
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New technology preserves brand-new car’s paint
Honda adds 437,000 cars to global air bag recall
