Honda confirms Takata airbag rupture injured driver in March accident

(Reuters) - Honda Motor Co Ltd's American unit on Monday confirmed that a faulty airbag inflator made by Takata Corp (7312.T) ruptured in a March 20 crash of a car in Florida, injuring the driver.

A Honda vehicle's airbag exploded and a piece of metal shot from the bag into the driver's neck, police and hospital reports said last week.

The 2003 model Honda Civic involved in the crash is included in a recall affecting the passenger's front airbag inflator, American Honda said in a statement. Takata airbags have been linked to at least six deaths so far, all involving Honda cars.

Honda also said it had sent two notices to the owner of the car before the crash, the first in September.

Honda said on March 19 it would add more than 100,000 vehicles to a U.S. recall related to potentially defective airbags made by Takata that can deploy with too much force and spray occupants with metal shards.

Honda said it was in touch with representatives of the injured driver to investigate the situation further.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was not immediately available for comment.

(Reporting by Sai Sachin R and Narottam Medhora in Bengaluru; Editing by Cynthia Osterman)