Honda recalls 438,000 more cars for airbag risk

Honda Motor Company said it would recall another 438,000 cars globally to replace an airbag deflator that could rupture and send shards towards the driver in an accident.

The move follows a separate recall of 646,000 cars less than two weeks ago for a faulty window switch that engulfed a Jazz subcompact in flames in South Africa, killing a child.

Japan's No2 automaker had previously filed recalls for the airbag problem on two separate occasions, in November 2008 and June 2009, covering a total of 510,000 vehicles.

Ongoing investigation had determined the defect was caused by insufficient stamping pressure during the production of the inflator propellant and not by excessive moisture intake by the propellant as previously believed, said Honda.

The airbags are made by the US unit of Japan's Takata Corporation, a Honda spokesman said. A Takata spokesman said the company was not aware of any defect in airbags.

The new recall is concentrated in the United States, where nearly 379,000 cars are subject to the recall. All cars to be recalled globally are made at Honda's US and Canadian plants.

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