Hot on the heels of the Takata air bags recall comes another one, this time involving Continental Automotive Systems (CAS) and affecting up to five million vehicles worldwide.

CAS has filed documents with the US Government declaring that its air bag control computers can fail if exposed to moisture. The air bags could either fail to inflate in a crash or accidentally deploy without a crash.

CAS will notify car makers, leading to a recall of cars dating as far back as 2006 models.

It is not yet clear which makes and models will be affected in Australia, although the Honda Accord, Dodge Journey and some Mercedes-Benz C-Class models are potentially among them.

CAS will reveal further manufacturers involved in the recalls in a later submission to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Last issue we covered the recall of Takata Corp air bag inflators, which have caused at least 11 deaths and 139 injuries worldwide. They can deploy with too much force, exploding a metal canister and firing shrapnel into the passenger compartment.

CAS says its problem first arose in January 2008 when a malfunctioning air bag control unit was removed from a Mercedes vehicle. In early 2011, CAS learnt of two unintentional air bag deployments in Mercedes and Fiat Chrysler vehicles.

US safety regulators began investigating last year after Honda reported two malfunctions in crashes involving 2008 Accords.

CAS says more than 600 parts have been returned due to the problem.