Smokey says, "Only you can prevent Honda Jazz forest fires. Only you." (Photo: tsikot.com)

Another Japanese automaker is facing a recall, which comes as no shock to anyone who buys into the whole GM conspiracy theory that’s floating around out there. Josh Oliver at TheGMSource writes that in light of the recent Toyota recall, some people began speculating that the U.S. government – the same government that has gone to great pains to prop up the sagging General Motors (GM) – is trying to hammer the competition so that GM has a better shot at increasing their share price. Of course the whole theory breaks down when you consider that the Japanese government is also forcing Toyota to recall vehicles over there. Your cash advance blogger simply doesn’t smell what conspiracy theorists are cooking, but I have had a cold lately.

Now Honda recalls airbags

According to the Washington Post (See: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/02/09/AR2010020903896.html), Honda will recall 438,000 cars worldwide due to a problem with the airbag deflator. It can cause the rap to rupture and fling shrapnel at the driver. One fatality and 11 injuries have been recorded in the U.S. due to the Honda airbag malfunction.  If Pat Benatar ever pondered the greater implications of Fahrvergnügen, I’m sure airbag shrapnel wasn’t on the set list.

Honda had just recalled 646,000 cars

Only two weeks before, Honda had to act on news that a faulty window switch had caused a Honda Jazz to burst into flames and kill a South African child. That prompted a 636,000-vehicle Honda recall. In recent years, Honda had already gone through airbag recalls totaling 510,000 cars. “Insufficient stamping pressure” during airbag inflator propellant production had been the problem then, according to the Post.

Kangaerarenai koto da, Takata

Oh, so the airbags were made by the U.S. unit of Japan’s Takata Corp? The conspiracy theorists are hungry again. Takata was unaware of the airbag problem, according to Honda. Now the following U.S. and Canadian-made Hondas are being recalled, totaling 379,000:

2001 and 2002

• Accord
• Civic
• Odyssey
• CR-V
• Pilot

2002

• Acura TL
• Acura CL

If the Honda airbag recall affects you, call (800) 382-2238 or visit this Web site for more information.

Honda recalling airbags: A yen for giving up the yen

Honda estimates that the recalled airbags will cost the company around 24 million yen in Japan. At 89.91 yen per dollar, that’s about $267,000 – that’s where the $67 per car estimate comes from. Globally, however, they’re looking at around $30 million. As of the Washington Post‘s report, Honda’s share price was down 0.2 percent in Tokyo; Takata’s was down 1.6 percent.

The media has been all over these auto recalls

Yes, they’re important for the safety of those who own the cars in question. But analysts like Yoshihiko Tabei of Kazaka Securities – among others – are going on record with the media as saying that “While the way automakers handle recalls is important, I think people should be careful not to overreact to every single recall.” Critics of the cash advance industry lose their heads when one person enters a debt spiral after using the product, even though ample evidence exists that cash advance is a safe product if used properly. The Honda recall for airbags is serious; so was the Toyota recall. However, auto recalls as a whole are a quiet business not worthy of such attention (or not so much attention for American automakers, according to the conspiracy-minded).

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