Honda to recall 1.6M vehicles, finish Takata recalls early

DETROIT (AP) — Honda is recalling 1.6 million vehicles in the U.S. to replace potentially deadly Takata air bag inflators, completing its required recalls six months ahead of schedule.

When the latest recall is done, Honda says it will have recalled 22.6 million inflators in about 12.9 million vehicles.

Takata inflators can explode with too much force and blow apart a metal canister, spewing shrapnel. Twenty-four people have been killed and hundreds injured by the inflators worldwide. Honda was Takata's largest customer.

The recalls include many Honda and Acura models from 2003 through 2015. All received replacement inflators made by Takata early in the recall process.

The recalls do not include inflators that have a moisture-absorbing chemical. The government will decide by the end of this year whether those should be recalled.