August 4, 2004
Honda is facing a federal safety investigation and the potential recall of 240,193 of its 2004 Accord sedans after the driver's airbag failed during two crash tests.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration began the inquiry last week after airbags failed during unrelated tests. The agency was testing the damage caused when light trucks crash into cars from the side. During the side-impact test, the Accord airbag failed.
Investigators said the bag had a large tear in its fabric and did not fully inflate.
NHTSA has opened an inquiry, which is the first step in the process that can lead to a ful-scale recall.