July 11, 2019—More than 70,000 Hawaii residents are driving recalled vehicles with dangerously defective air bags that could blast sharp metal fragments at drivers and passengers upon deployment.

As of June 2019, of the 200,000 air bags on the road in Hawaii that were initially identified as containing these dangerously defective inflators, approximately 70,000 – or 28 percent— remain unrepaired in about 60,000 vehicles, even after as many as dozens of outreach attempts by vehicle manufacturers.

This safety recall is particularly urgent for drivers of older, affected vehicles in Hawaii – because prolonged exposure to high heat and humidity over time makes the defect even worse, increasing the potential for serious injury or death, according to the report.

While the recall affects vehicles made by 19 different vehicle manufacturers, certain 2001-03 Hondas and Acuras as well as certain 2006 Ford Ranger trucks and Mazda B-Series trucks are considered higher risk. NHTSA urges consumers not to drive these vehicles unless they are going straight to a dealer to have them repaired immediately. The specific 'Do Not Drive' models are listed below:   

• 2001-2002 Honda Civic
• 2001-2002 Honda Accord
• 2002-2003 Acura TL
• 2002 Honda CR-V
• 2002 Honda Odyssey
• 2003 Acura CL
• 2003 Honda Pilot
• Certain 2006 Ford Ranger
• Certain 2006 Mazda B-Series