By Donna Westfall Several deaths have been attributed to a device that's supposed to save lives in the event of an auto crash. Instead, Takata air bags have a flaw. In regions that have high humidity, over time the propellant deteriorates. This has led to several crashes wherein the air bag housing ruptures. When a crash occurs, this sends metal shards throughout the passenger cabin. January 18, 2015: The driver of a 2002 Honda Accord became the fifth person in the United States thought to have been killed by an exploding air bag inflator. Just months ago Ford issued a statement adding an additional 447,310 vehicles to the recall. Honda has recalled over 5 million vehicles. Per their website: "For customers concerned about the issue of Takata airbags in certain Honda and Acura vehicles, our customer service will make arrangements for, as appropriate, the replacement of airbag inflators and the provision of or reimbursement for temporary alternative transportation. For anyone who owns one of our vehicles and is concerned, we encourage them to visit recalls.honda.com, or call 1-800-999-1009, option 4, and recalls.acura.com, or call 1-800-382-2238, option 4." This has affected 17 million automobiles made by 10 different auto makers. The Department of Transportation estimates that between 1987 and 2012, frontal air bags have saved 37,000 lives. Less than a dozen deaths and injuries have been reported due to the problems with the Takata air bag. For an excellent article and further information, go to ConsumerReports.org.