WASHINGTON -- Honda Motor Co. is recalling 2.7 million older U.S. vehicles in North America for potentially defective airbag inflators.
The defect involves a different type of Takata inflator than those that have prompted the largest-ever auto safety recalls worldwide covering more than 42 million U.S. vehicles by 19 automakers with Takata airbag inflators.
The new recall covers Honda and Acura automobiles from the 1996 through 2003 model years. Honda said it is aware of one field rupture of a inflator in the new recall campaign - a 2012 crash in Texas that resulted in an injury - and two in junkyards in Japan.
The campaign covers 2.4 million U.S. vehicles and 300,000 in Canada, Honda said, adding that it has not determined recall numbers for other countries.
Takata issued a new defect notice in November for inflators from four automakers, including Honda.
Honda said all three vehicles "potentially were exposed to unusually high amounts of …