Honda to expand Takata air bag recall nationwide

Under pressure from federal regulators, Honda said Wednesday that it is expanding a recall of driver’s side air bags to all 50 states.

The air bags, made by Japanese supplier Takata Corp., can explode with too much force, sending metal shrapnel into the passenger compartment.

Takata insists that current recalls covering 8 million U.S. cars in high-humidity areas are sufficient. But the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants the recalls expanded nationwide after some incidents occurred outside the high-humidity zones.

Rick Schostek, Honda’s executive vice president for North America, told House lawmakers Wednesday that Honda would expand the regional recall it began in June, but would continue to prioritize high-humidity areas.

He also said Honda is working with other air bag manufacturers to make sure it has enough parts.