Honda recalls another 440,000 vehicles

Honda Motor Co. said Friday it widened a previously announced recall to add 440,000 cars that could have a lethal airbag defect.

Affected models include the 2001-2002 Honda Accord, 2001 Civic and 2002-2003 Acura TL.

The potential defect has caused 6 known injuries and one known death, according to Honda spokesman Chris Naughton.

The recall will require the driver's side steering-wheel-mounted airbag inflator to be replaced.

In some cars, the airbag inflators may over-pressurize the inflator mechanism as the airbag is deploying, which could cause the inflator casing to rupture, according to Honda. As a result the carmaker said, "Metal fragments could pass through the cloth airbag cushion material, possibly causing an injury or fatality to vehicle occupants."

Registered owners of the vehicles in question will receive a recall notice in the mail in the next few months to schedule a repair. Honda said the owners of cars most likely to have a problem will be contacted first.

In the meantime, Honda owners can log onto the Web site www.owners.honda.com/recalls and click on the "Owner Link" to get a status of their recall. Acura owners should go to www.owners.acura.com/recalls and click on the "My Acura" link.....