Honda Motor Co. on Friday denied claims it knew about Takata Corp.'s faulty air bag inflators nearly two decades ago.

The automaker released an email written in 2013 by one of its engineers suggesting he had knowledge of Takata's problems, together with an affidavit from the engineer saying he was mistaken.

The email and affidavit were released as part of Honda's defense in a class action suit in Florida, where plaintiffs are seeking compensation for the lost value of vehicles due to defects in Takata air bag inflators.

Honda's move precedes Takata's expected filing for bankruptcy protection on Monday, to address the massive liabilities from global recalls of its air bags.

With liabilities exceeding ¥1 trillion ($9 billion), Takata's bankruptcy would be the largest by a Japanese manufacturer in the postwar period.