The Indian arm of the Japanese carmaker Honda has initiated a voluntary recall for the Accord. A total of 3,669 units, manufactured between 2003 and 2006, of the sedan fall under this campaign. The carmaker wants to replace driver’s front airbag inflators which, back when the car was produced, were made by Takata. This initiative is part of Honda’s global recall campaign concerning front airbag inflators made by Takata.
Needless to say, the entire process of inspection and replacement of airbag inflators will be carried out at no cost to the customer. Honda urges all those customers who currently own and run the Accord sedan manufactured during the above-mentioned period to get theirs repaired at the nearest authorised dealership. If not repaired, Honda warns that the inflators may deploy with excessive internal pressure when activated. In such a situation the airbag inflator casing might rupture which, for the driver, can lead to an injury.
To check whether the one you have is part of the recall, all you need to do is visit Honda’s India website and enter the alpha-numeric vehicle identification number. The same can be found on the car’s invoice or in the registration documents.
Over the years, the Accord has done well for Honda in India. Like most products from the Japanese carmaker, the Accord has always been a reliable car. Presently, the Honda Accord comes to India only in one variant – the hybrid – and via the CBU (completely built unit) route. Its dual-engine power-plant pumps out 215PS of power and that is fed to the wheels by an electronic continuously variable transmission (E-CVT). Honda claims that the mileage figure can go up to 23.1kmpl.
Presently, the Accord Hybrid’s only real competitor in India is the Toyota Camry Hybrid. Other similarly-sized but conventionally-powered sedans in the same space include the Skoda Superb and the Volkswagen Passat.