Honda to pay $84.2M to settle Takata air bag probe

(Reuters) — Honda Motor Co. has agreed to pay $84.2 million to settle a probe by most U.S. states into its use of defective Takata airbag inflators in its vehicles, according to a consent order made public on Tuesday.

American Honda Motor Co. and Honda of America also agreed to upgrade their product safety procedures related to frontal airbags, including to reduce the risk their inflators will rupture.

The Honda affiliates agreed to the consent order without admitting wrongdoing and to avoid the cost of further litigation. Court approval is required.

Honda confirmed it had reached civil settlements with 46 U.S. states, Washington, D.C., and three U.S. territories over the matter. It also said it has replaced more than 16 million defective Takata airbag inflators in its vehicles.

A multistate group of attorneys general had been investigating Honda’s use of Takata airbags since December 2015, according to the consent order.