Honda Motor Co. on Monday said that a faulty air bag made by Takata Corp. ruptured in the crash of a Honda Civic in March in Florida, injuring the driver.
A metal fragment hurled from a front airbag inflator struck the driver in the neck in the March 20 incident but was removed in surgery, with no threat to the life of the driver, according to a representative of the car's owner.
Honda said it checked the car, a 2003 Civic, and confirmed that the Takata-made inflator for the driver's front air bag ruptured, hurling out metal shrapnel.
The car was subject to a recall in June because of a defective driver's front air bag but was not repaired. Honda said in a statement that it sent three recall notifications on Sept. 29, Jan. 27 and March 23 and none of them was returned as undeliverable.
The driver's representative has only acknowledged that the March 23 notice was received, according to Honda.
Honda's American unit continues to urge owners of Honda and Acura vehicles affected by the Takata air bag inflator recalls to get their vehicles repaired at authorized dealers as soon as possible.