NEW YORK: Honda Motor Co. has agreed to pay some 10 billion Japanese yen (96 million dollars) in total to settle civil suits filed in the United States over the Japanese automaker’s alleged concealment of air bag safety issues in its vehicles.

Honda, however, denied the misconduct allegations by the plaintiffs, including 46 US states and Washington D.C., Honda officials said Tuesday.

Since 2016, the US states and others have filed the suits against Honda, claiming that the automaker hid the risk of rupture in Takata Corp. air bags used in its vehicles and failed to take an appropriate action following accidents caused by the defective air bags.

The plaintiffs had demanded compensation for damages allegedly arising from falls in vehicle values caused by related safety issues.

Fourteen of the total 16 US deaths involving defective Takata air bags were in Honda vehicles.

In 2017, the automaker paid 605 million dollars to settle a class action lawsuit filed on similar allegations by Honda vehicle owners in the United States.

JIJI Press