A fatal accident near Los Angeles last year involving a 2002 Acura sedan and a Takata Corp air bag was the third death in the U.S. linked to a defective safety component made by the Japanese supplier.
Devin Xu, 47, was killed in an accident in the parking lot of a bank in the commercial section of Alhambra back in Sept. 2012, even though he was wearing his seat belt at the time, according to local officials and the automaker.
The Los Angeles County Coroner's Department report cited "apparent facial trauma due to foreign object inside air bag." The report also cited "approximately two tears on the air bag itself" and blamed Xu's death on head injuries that took place when his vehicle accelerated, struck three cars and collided with a building, according to Reuters.
Safety regulators at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration are investigating whether or not Takata air bag inflators made between 2000 and 2007 were sealed properly, which could lead to the bag inflating with excessive force and possibly spraying metal shrapnel at occupants.
A Honda spokesman confirmed on Thursday that Xu was driving a green 2002 Acura TL sedan with Takata air bags. The automaker was not informed of the incident however, and is piecing "it together after the fact now," Honda spokesman Chris Martin said, according to Reuters.
At least 16 million vehicles worldwide have been recalled for defective Takata air bags since 2008.
"Beyond very recent media inquiries, Takata was never informed of the California incident," said Alby Berman, a Takata spokesman in the U.S., according to Reuters.
Honda was accused by the Center for Auto Safety on Wednesday of underreporting injuries and deaths related to Takata's defective air bags. The group in a letter to NHTSA deputy administrator David Friedman asked the agency to refer the matter for criminal investigation.
Last month, Honda launched a third-party audit of "potential inaccuracies in its reporting" and will notify NHTSA when the process is complete, according to a company statement.
In the past, the automaker had not reported verbal reports of injury or death claims as that wasn't required by law. It had changed that practice going forward however.
NHTSA is working hard to establish a "new normal" for automakers and that is why it originally asked for the regional recalls regarding the Takata air bags. It has also in contact with Honda regarding if the automaker is in compliance with reporting requirements, according to Reuers.
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