TOKYO (AP) -- Honda Motor Co. is recalling 1,532 of its Inspire and Saber passenger cars in Japan following a fatal accident in the United States involving a ruptured air bag.
Japan's No. 2 automaker said Wednesday there were seven accidents in the U.S. between February 2007 and May 2009 in which metal fragments flew from ruptured driver-side air bags in Honda vehicles.
In one such accident in May, a driver died, though Honda says it remains unclear if the air bag was responsible. Japan's transport ministry said metal fragments from a ruptured air bag pierced the driver's neck.
Honda said it was investigating whether the driver died due to the air bag accident or some other causes.
The seven accidents occurred in Honda's popular Civic and Accord models. Honda said it has already recalled them in the United States but didn't give the number of recalled cars.
The transport ministry said there haven't been such accidents in Japan. But Honda is recalling 1,532 of its Inspire and Saber passenger cars as both models use the same type of air bags that are in Civic and Accord models.
