What is causing the recall of Honda Civic airbags?

Airbag recalls, which are not limited to Honda vehicles, are due to the risk of the airbags deploying explosively. This can result in severe injury or death for the vehicle's occupants.

In November 2014 a report published by the New York Times indicated that Honda was aware of the issue and was working with federal regulators to fix the problem. Two weeks later the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration called for automobile manufacturers to recall affected vehicles. The recall requires the manufacturer to replace the Takata airbags with a safer model. As of May 2015, it was estimated that more than 33.8 million vehicles were affected by the recall.