Honda Recall: Car Company Under Investigation, May Have Failed to Report Deaths, Injuries From Faulty Airbags

On Monday, U.S. safety regulators said that they are looking into whether or not Honda Motor Co. failed to report deaths and injuries from defective airbags in some of the company's vehicles.

The faulty airbags have been linked to three deaths and more than 30 injuries, according to a report from The New York Times. Japanese supplier Takata manufactures the airbags, which can rupture violently.

Carmakers have recalled more than 14 million vehicles that came equipped with the Takata airbags, including 11 million in the U.S. Takata said the problem lies in the airbag's propellant, which can become unstable and cause the bags to burst, shooting shrapnel into the vehicle.

According to reports, Honda has known about the issue with the airbags since 2004 -- and had more issues with them in 2007 -- but didn't tell regulators. Honda first recalled vehicles because of the faulty airbags in 2008.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released a statement on Monday saying that it fears the carmaker withheld information about issues more serious than the airbags as well. The administration and ordered the company to submit -- under oath -- any documents concerning its reporting procedures.

The NHTSA is also requiring Honda to identify any deaths or injuries caused by the Takata airbags that the carmaker didn't report to regulators.

"NHTSA has received information from Honda indicating that Honda may have failed to meet its TREAD reporting obligations, including reporting other death or injury incidents," the statement said, according to Reuters.

Pressure to investigate Honda increased when a Florida woman died last month when the airbag in her 2001 Accord burst in a low-speed accident and shot shrapnel into her neck.

Honda claimed that it has "maintained a dialogue" for years with regulators over the faulty airbags. The company also said that it provided the NHTSA with more information about injuries than is required by law.

Still, Honda said it has started an internal audit of its reporting procedures and would soon share the findings with federal regulators.