Do not drive in 8,200 older vehicles with Takata air bags

Honda and the U.S. government are urging owners of about 8,200 older vehicles not to drive until dangerous air bag inflators are replaced.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a Do Not Drive advisory for the 2001 -- 2003 vehicles with Takata inflators that have a high chance of exploding and hurling shrapnel in a crash.

The safety agency says that the risk to drivers and passengers is dire because the Alpha inflators have a 50% chance of exploding in a crash. If the inflators blow apart, they can shoot shrapnel toward a driver's face that could kill them or cause serious injuries.

The agency said the Honda and Acura vehicles were previously recalled, but records show that repairs have not been made in the affected vehicles. Honda has replaced 99% of the dangerous inflators.

The owners can check to see if their cars are covered by going to https: www.nhtsa. gov recalls and keying in their 17 digit vehicle identification number.

NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said these inflators are two decades old and pose a 50% chance of rupturing even a minor crash. Don t gamble with your life or the life of someone you love. Schedule your free repair today before it s too late. Takata used ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. When exposed to moisture in the air and repeated high temperatures, the chemical can become more volatile over time. The explosion can rupture a metal canister and hurl shrapnel into the passenger compartment.

The exploding air bags have killed 33 people worldwide, including 24 in the United States since 2009, according to the exploding air bags.

Most of the deaths and about 400 injuries have occurred in the U.S. but they also occur in Australia and Malaysia.

Honda has reached out to owners more than 18 million times with mailed notices, emails, phone calls, and even home visits. The company says repairs are free and parts are available. It offers free towing and loaner vehicles if needed.

The possibility of a malfunction led to the largest series of auto recalls in the U.S. history, with at least 67 million Takata inflators recalled. The U.S. government says millions of dollars have not been repaired. More than 100 million inflators have been recalled in the world. The exploding air bags sent Takata Corp. of Japan into bankruptcy.

Honda had the highest number of vehicles with Takata inflators.