The Takata airbag recall is, perhaps, the most scandalous affair to hit the automotive industry since the fiery Ford Pinto disappeared. More than 42 million vehicles across more than 20 automakers have been recalled for faulty airbag inflators that may cause serious injuries or, in some cases, death. Several brands were plagued with the issue, but it's Honda that has received plenty of bad press.

Despite a huge effort on the brand's part, there are still many vehicles driving around with faulty airbags. In 2019, the driver of a 2002 Honda Civic was fatally injured after the airbag was deployed incorrectly and sent shrapnel into the cabin. Of the 19 Takata airbag-related deaths in the United States, the majority involved older Honda vehicles.

The brand has made inroads into tracking down all affected vehicles, but some owners still haven't had the issues dealt with, and Honda is now trying an unusual tactic to fix the last vehicles by sending out a series of cartoons to attract the owners' attention.

First spotted on social media where the owner of a Honda Accord said he'd received the strange notice in the mail, CarBuzz reached out to the American Honda Motor Company, to which we were sent the cartoon recall notices you see here.

All three cartoons depict safety equipment that has been compromised in some way or another, including a damaged parachute, frayed bungee cord, and cracked scuba tank, with remarks such as, "I'm sure everything will be okay ... probably." This is a rather clever way of telling unaware owners that safety equipment is of no use if it's faulty. "You wouldn't skydive with a ripped parachute ... why would you drive with a defective airbag inflator?"

The reverse side of the postcards has information relating to the vehicle, the problem, and how to check and get the issue fixed. But why has Honda had to go to such lengths to address the issue?

A representative from the brand told CarBuzz that "Honda has now fixed or accounted for 90.9% of the inflators recalled in Honda and Acura vehicles in the United States." However, the remaining 9.1% are yet to bring their vehicles in for repair, despite "multiple communications about the recall." What's more, the repair is free.

Of course, there are several reasons these owners are unaware of the issue. Vehicles often exchange hands and details get lost, meaning the company may not be aware of new owners, especially if the vehicle is sold privately or via a non-Honda used car dealer.

The new campaign will, hopefully, encourage Honda drivers to get their vehicles checked.

It's important to remember that driving is, statistically, one of the most dangerous things we can do. Several experts have said the task of commuting by car is one of the riskiest activities we do every day, so making sure our vehicles are prepared for the worst is paramount.

If you're aware that your Honda may be hiding a fatal flaw, you must have your vehicle checked out. As mentioned, the company will repair for free and will even provide a rental car should the part not be immediately available. We applaud the Japanese automaker for this unique approach, as it's eye-catching and may just save a life. The automaker has made available several tools for checking if your vehicle requires a fix, or has already had the fix implemented, including a hotline that you can call on 1-888-234-2138.