Honda is investigated over faulty rearview cameras

Washington, D.C. – February 20, 2022 – The U.S. government is investigating Honda (NYSE:HMC) over concerns whose rearview cameras may fail to display an image. This increases the risk of a crash and injury while backing up.

If the investigation results in a recall, it may affect 71,008 of the following pickup trucks: 

  • 2017 Honda Ridgeline
  • 2017 Honda Ridgeline

Investigation summary  

On February 7, the regulator, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened an investigation, following 42 complaints and 10 reports of rearview camera becoming inoperable

Based on the complaints, the rearview camera may stop working because of “severe damage to the tailgate wire harness,” which happens right after “the warranty mileage is exceeded.”

The goal of this investigation is to determine if there is a safety defect which may require a recall.

Risks

For more information on the risks, please visit this article about a Ford recall due to malfunctioning cameras.

Other Honda recalls 

Apart from this ongoing investigation, owners should also be aware of a Honda Ridgeline recall from December 2021 which was caused by hoods that may fly open while driving.

Is your vehicle part of a recall?

This Honda Ridgeline wiring harness investigation may eventually lead to a recall, possibly affecting over 70,000 vehicles. To do a Honda recall check to see if it part of any open recalls, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Bojan PopicHonda is investigated over faulty rearview cameras

Honda recalls over 700,000 cars whose hoods may fly open

Torrance, CA – December 11, 2021 – Honda (NYSE:HMC) has recalled 724,826 vehicles whose hoods may become damaged and fly open while driving, blocking the driver’s view of the road. This increases the risk of a crash and subsequent injury to the occupants of the car and other motorists.

The component in question is the hood, whose part number is  60100-TG7-A91.

The recall includes the following SUVs and pickups:

  • 2019 Honda Passport
  • 2016 – 2019 Honda Pilot
  • 2017 – 2020 Honda Ridgeline

Recall summary  

The recall stems from a gap in the seal between the Honda’s hood and grill, which allows air to get inside while driving. The aerodynamics of this gap cause the hood to vibrate when the car drives at high speeds, which could eventually cause a stress fracture in the hood’s latch. If this occurs, nothing is holding the hood shut and it could fly open while driving, blocking the driver’s view.

Recall risks

Driving with an obstructed view is extremely dangerous and could quickly cause the driver to crash. 

Warning signs

Drivers may be able to hear the hood vibrating and should also keep an eye on the hood to see if it seems loose

Other Honda recalls

The manufacturer was recently affected by a Honda Insight, Honda Accord, Honda CR-V and Honda Ridgeline recall over issues with securing child safety seats. 

The repair

Depending on the condition of the hood latch, Honda dealers will either repair the hood by adding a striker support plate or will replace the hood entirely. All repairs will be free of charge for Honda owners. Honda will notify owners about the recall by mail starting on January 17, 2022. Owners who had to repair this issue on their own dime before the recall was announced will be eligible for reimbursement.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 700,000 vehicles are included in this Honda recall. To see if your car is one of them, do a Honda recall check using MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandHonda recalls over 700,000 cars whose hoods may fly open

Honda recalls over 4,000 cars over child seat safety issue

Warren, MI – December 5, 2021 – Honda  (NYSE:HMC) has recalled 4,346 vehicles with a defective seat belt locking mechanism for securing children’s car seats.  The issue ups the risk of an injury to the child in the seat in an accident.

This is part of an ongoing recall with multiple manufacturers affected due to faulty parts supplied by Swedish-American manufacturer Autoliv.

The latest install includes includes the following models:

  • 2021 Honda Accord
  • 2021 Honda Accord Hybrid
  • 2021 Honda CR-V
  • 2022 Honda CR-V Hybrid
  • 2022 Honda Insight
  • 2021 Honda Ridgeline

Recall summary  

The seat belt retractor is what tightens the belt. There are two types of retractors – an emergency one that only tightens when there is an accident and an automatic one – known as the automatic locking retractor (ALR) –  which will lock up once it is spooled out.  The ALRs is one of the two mechanisms used to secure a child seat. 

The recalled vehicles have faulty ALRs which may deactivate without the driver’s knowledge, leaving the child loosely secured.

The component in question is the “second row center seat belt assembly” with multiple part numbers including 82480TLAA012M1 and  82455TVAA111M1.

Recall risks

If the ALR deactivates, the child will be able to move around freely, increasing the risk of injury to the child in the seat.

Safety tips

For safety tips, please visit this article.

Not just a Honda seat belt recall

These faulty seat belt assemblies made their way into thousands of cars, causing recalls of several car brands including Volvo, RAM, Jaguar, Land Rover, Ford, BMW and Audi.

Other Honda Accord recalls

The Honda Accord is currently under a pre-recall investigation over reports of steering failure. Honda also recently recalled 18 models, including the Accord,  with fuel pump issues.

The repair

Honda dealers will replace the second row center seat belt assembly with a new one free of charge. Honda will notify owners of the recall by mail starting on January 17, 2022. Any owners who noticed the problem and replaced the center seat belt assembly on their own dime may be eligible for reimbursement. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 4,300 vehicles are included in this Honda recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandHonda recalls over 4,000 cars over child seat safety issue

‘Of its own accord’— US government investigates Honda Accords’ phantom steering

Washington, D.C. – June 2, 2021 – An arm of the U.S. government that regulates vehicle safety is investigating Honda (NYSE:HMC) after reports that certain 2013-2015 Honda Accords are experiencing sudden steering failure, greatly increasing the risk of an accident.  Up to 1,120,470 vehicles are potentially affected.

The investigation could eventually lead to a Honda Accord recall, but it is unclear when and if this would begin.

The investigation 

The regulator, the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA), opened the investigation on May 6, after reviewing a total of 32 complaints of steering failure in 2013-2015 Accords. The complaints indicate that the cars may “veer or jerk out of the intended path of travel,” without any input from the driver or warning signs. 

Background of the investigation

The investigation comes on the heels of a petition by Terrie Haggey, a 2013 Honda Accord driver who petitioned NHTSA to look into an “alarming pattern of power steering failures.”  The related repairs are currently not covered under Honda’s current warranty policy. 

In response to Haggey’s request, NHTSA asked Honda to provide additional information and found out that there have been 77 instances of power steering failure stemming from this issue. The agency is currently conducting engineering analysis, a stage of the investigation process that may result in a recall. 

If a recall is initiated, any necessary repairs will be free for drivers.

Terrifying driver experiences

Drivers have been narrating their personal experiences related to this issue since at least 2018. According to one complaint, a driver “collided with the guard wall” after being unable to control the car, which veered “in and out of lanes sharply” on its volition. The driver suffered physical injuries and continues to be haunted by the accident. “Worst of all,” the complaint letter stated, “I suffer from nightmares and I have difficulty sleeping.” 

Another person observed the steering wheel turning “really fast on its own to the left” when they let go of it.

Crashes and injuries

According to NHTSA, the “phantom steering wheel” has so far led to at least two crashes and several injuries.

Previous investigation

Starting in November 2014, NHTSA led a separate investigation of the 2013 Honda Accord over reports of power steering failure, with some reports also describing the steering wheel jerking left or right, veering off-course. That investigation, however, did not result in the 2013 Honda Accord recall as NHTSA deemed that the steering failures were “rare” and that the rate of failures was declining. 

Recent Honda Accord recalls

In December, over 235,000 2013-2015 Honda Accords were subject to a different recall due to a potential loss of power.  It is not clear if the recall included 2013 Honda Accord Sport, 2013 Honda Accord Coupe, 2013 Honda Accord EX L.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 1.1 million vehicles may become part of this recall. Bookmark our free vehicle lookup tool to check back later, or use it now to see if there are any other recalls on your vehicle that need to be repaired.

Rebecca Rand‘Of its own accord’— US government investigates Honda Accords’ phantom steering

Honda recalls over 600,000 cars that may stall

Torrance, CA – April 6, 2021 – Honda (NYSE:HMC) has expanded a previous recall to include 628,124 of additional vehicles with faulty fuel pumps that may cause the car to stall. The pumps are manufactured by Denso, (OTCMKTS:DNZOY) – an auto parts maker that forms part of the Toyota Group – that is behind this and other recalls by major car manufacturers starting last summer.

 This recall includes:

  • 2019 Acura ILX 
  • 2019 – 2020 Acura MDX
  • 2019 – 2020 Acura MDX Sport Hybrid
  • 2019 – 2020 Acura RDX
  • 2019 – 2020 Acura TLX
  • 2019 – 2020 Honda Accord
  • 2019 Honda Accord Hybrid
  • 2019 – 2020 Honda Civic
  • 2019 – 2020 Honda Civic Hatchback
  • 2019 Honda Civic Type-R
  • 2018 – 2019 Honda CR-V
  • 2019 Honda Fit
  • 2019 Honda HR-V 
  • 2019 – 2020 Honda Insight
  • 2019 Honda Odyssey
  • 2019 Honda Passport 
  • 2019 Honda Pilot
  • 2019 Honda Ridgeline

Recall summary  

The Denso fuel pumps at the center of the recall have a small plastic component, called an impeller, that sucks gas from a car’s fuel tank to pump it into the engine. Some of the impellers were manufactured in a way that can cause the plastic to weaken and become misshapen, causing the whole fuel pump to malfunction. Without a pump moving fuel into the engine, the car might not start or could stall while driving.

Background of the recall

The original Honda recall was announced in May of last year and included some of the model and model years listed above. Overall, Denso had manufactured over two million defective pumps which has caused Toyota. Honda and Subaru to recall their cars starting last summer.

Warning signs

The driver may be alerted to the fuel pump malfunction if he or she notices that the malfunction indicator light (MIL) or the master warning indicator come on. Additionally, the engine may run “rough” when the car is started or idled. This means that you may hear weird noises or feel the car vibrate or shake. Take the car in for repair as soon as you notice these signs to keep the situation from getting worse.

Risks

You can read more about the risks posed by these faulty fuel pumps in our article about Toyota’s Denso fuel pump recall.

The repair

Honda and Acura dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly for free. Notifications with more information about when and how to seek repairs will be sent to owners starting on May 18.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 628,000 vehicles are included in this Honda and Acura recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandHonda recalls over 600,000 cars that may stall

Honda CR-V vehicles recalled for window switch issue

December 30, 2021 Update – Honda Motor Company (NYSE:HMC) has remedied issues with 47,586 Honda CR-V vehicles that had failures with the driver side power window master switch. Additionally, 9,353 of these vehicles have been categorized as unreachable and 57.552 have been removed from the recall. All of these Honda CR-V vehicles with window switch failures were divided into 3 groups throughout 2021 to fix the failure.

Torrance, CA – January 18, 2021 – Honda Motor Company (NYSE:HMC) has recalled 268,655 Honda CR-V vehicles, due to a faulty power window switch. If moisture enters the power window master switch, the switch may fail or melt, increasing the risk of a fire. The recall includes 2002-2006 Honda CR-V vehicles.

Recall summary  

Power windows in these cars are operated by a master switch located in the door panel. Heavy rain may cause water to enter the driver’s side window. If the water reaches these Honda CR-Vs’ power window master switch, it may damage the switch’s circuit board, causing the switch to fail. In some cases, it may also result in a short circuit, which may overheat and melt the switch connectors. This is similar to a 2013-2016 recall of Honda Accord models with battery sensor failures, that lead to battery fires.

Risks 

If the driver’s side power windows do not operate correctly, the issue may distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash, in the same way it did with the 2018-2020 Honda Accords with a programming error that increases the risk of malfunction of various components of the car while driving. In addition, the water issue may cause a fire, which can injure the car occupants and greatly up the risk of a crash.

As of November 2020, Honda has been notified of 23 fires related to this power window switch issue, as well as 87 “thermal events,” such as melting and smoke.

Second recall

Honda originally recalled the same Honda CRV models for an identical power window switch issue in 2012. However, customers continued to report thermal events. Honda found that the problem actually occurred more often in the vehicles that had had the recall repair. This second recall will replace rather than simply repair the switch.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will need to replace the power window CR-V master switch. Dealers will also inspect the wiring harness –  which is a set of wires and connectors that power the vehicle – and replace it  if necessary.

The repair is free of charge, and Honda expects the recall to begin January 18, 2021.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 250,000 vehicles are included in this Honda CR-V 2006 recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle recall lookup tool.

Ken BoydHonda CR-V vehicles recalled for window switch issue

Honda CR-V, Accord, Insight recalled for battery charging issue

Torrance, CA – May 10, 2022 – Honda Motor Company (NYSE:HMC) has remedied issues with 25,297 vehicles including the 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid that had failures with the backup power 12-volt battery. Additionally, 26 of these 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid vehicles have been categorized as unreachable and 160 have been removed from the recall. All these 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid with 12-volt battery failures were remedied in 2021.

Torrance, CA – January 14, 2021 – Honda Motor Company (NYSE:HMC) has recalled 27,838 vehicles due to an issue that may prevent the 12-volt battery from recharging properly. If the battery does not recharge, the vehicle may  lose power. The recall includes: 

  • 2020 Honda CR-V Hybrid SUVs
  • 2020 Honda Accord Hybrid sedans
  • 2020-2021 Honda Insight hybrid sedans

Recall summary  

The 12-volt battery provides backup power for electrically-powered vehicles. If the vehicle’s hybrid battery is depleted, the 12-volt battery serves as an additional power source.

An excess amount of fuel additives and cold temperatures can cause “overvoltage” of a power converter unit (PCU), which powers these cars’ 12-volt battery. This may prevent that battery from recharging and may drain the car battery. Drivers may be alerted to the possibility of that happening when the 12-volt battery warning light is illuminated, and a warning message is displayed.

If both the hybrid battery and the 12-volt battery are depleted, the vehicle may lose all power, which increases the risk of a crash. 

Risks 

While there have been no reports of crashes or injuries related to the issue, there have been 53 warranty claims and 65 field reports as of December 10, 2020. 

The loss of battery power creates a number of risks:

  • Drivers may not be able to accelerate to enter a traffic lane or to avoid other vehicles and prevent an accident.
  • If the vehicle loses power on a highway or at higher speeds, it is at risk of getting hit.
  • The driver and occupants may be stranded in extreme weather in a vehicle with no power.

The repair

To fix the issue, dealers will need to update the software in the PCU. The repair is free of charge. Honda expects the recall to begin on February 25, 2021. 

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 27,800 vehicles are included in this Honda Accord recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Ken BoydHonda CR-V, Accord, Insight recalled for battery charging issue

Honda recalls Accord and Insight cars for potential multi-component malfunction

Torrance, CA – December 24, 2020– Honda (NYSE: HMC) is recalling 737,233 Accord and Insight cars with a programming error that increases the risk of malfunction of various components of the car while driving, upping the risk of a crash and injury.  The recall includes:

  • 2018- 2020 Honda Accord sedans
  • 2018-2020 Honda Accord hybrids
  • 2019- 2020 Honda Insight hybrids

Recall summary  

Due to a supplier programming mistake, these Honda vehicles may experience a glitch that disrupts communication between the body control module (BCM)  and other parts of the car. As reported, the BCM is the “core” of the car that is in charge of many of its operations. For the part numbers involved, please refer to the National Highway Safety (NHTSA) administration documents.

Disrupted communication between the BCM and other components may cause various warning lights to come on and several “electrical components” to malfunction. Some of the examples of what can happen are listed below:

  • Rearview camera won’t work
  • Windshield wipers and defrosters fail to function
  • Car lights and turn signals won’t turn on
  • Trunk won’t open
  • Cruise control and lane keep assist lights will flash

Software issues

Software issues have prompted more than one Honda recall in 2020. In July, for example,  the Japanese manufacturer recalled Odyssey minivans, Passport and Pilot SUVs because of “a programming glitch” that caused cars’ instruments panels to suddenly power off,  “depriving drivers of vital information,” such as the speed of the vehicle.

Risks

Malfunction of various components of the car can seriously increase the risk of a crash, especially while driving. Warning lights that come without reason can distract the driver and cause him to take actions that may also augment the risk of a crash or injury for the car occupants, as well as other motorists and pedestrians.

The repair

The recall is scheduled to begin on January 18, 2021. The repair will be a software update but it is not clear when it is going to be available.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 730,000 vehicles are included in this Honda  recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandHonda recalls Accord and Insight cars for potential multi-component malfunction

Honda recalls 210,000 cars over risk drive shaft will snap

December 7th, 2021 Update – Honda (NYSE: HMC) has remedied 87771 vehicles including the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid that suffered from drive shaft issues. 588 were deemed unreachable while another 28531 were removed from the Honda drive shaft recall. The recall was performed in three groups in January 2021 through February 2021. A similar problem with the driveshaft occurred in 2017 on Honda Civic Sedans vehicles produced between August and September 2017.

Torrance, CA – December 23, 2020 – Honda (NYSE: HMC) is recalling 210,000 vehicles in the so-called “salt belt” whose drive shafts – which transfers power to the wheels – may become corroded and break. This could cause the vehicle to stall or roll away when parked.  The recall includes:

  • 2013 – 2015 Acura ILX cars
  • 2013 Acura ILX hybrids
  • 2012 Honda Civic hybrids
  • 2007 – 2008 Honda Fits

Recall summary

This recall is one of two Honda has issued for vehicles sold or registered in the 22 states that use salt to de-ice roads in the winter. Salt can be very corrosive to the underside of vehicles.

The recalled vehicles’ drive shafts are supposed to have a protective coating, but due to a manufacturing error, the paint on the driveshaft may peel and chip over time and potentially cause corrosion, due to exposed bare metal . Left unprotected, road salt can eat away at the driveshaft and cause it to break. As a result, and similar to the 2020 Ford Explorer, the vehicle may stall or roll away when parked.

Other ‘salty’ recalls

Salt was also the culprit of a recent Ford recall of its 2013-2017 Explorer SUVs. In that case, the substance corroded the bottom of the vehicles and caused their toe links – which form part of them and ensure that the cars go in the right direction – to snap. In May of last year, Mazda also pulled close to 50,000 cars off the market to replace faulty parts that could result in a loss of power steering. The recall also came about because of corrosion caused by road salt.

Safety risks

Stalling, especially on the freeway, can increase the risk of a rear-end crash. Vehicles with a broken driveshaft could also roll away if parked on a slope without engaging the emergency brake.

As of November 24, 2020, 152 owners have sent Honda warranty claims relating to this issue. Honda has received 10 additional reports of drive shaft breakage, but none describe any accidents or injuries.

Read more about what to do if your vehicle stalls here.

Repair

Repair parts are not yet available for all the recalled vehicles. Owners will have to wait until February 1 to find out more about how to get this defect fixed. When a repair does become available, it will be performed by a Honda dealer for free. Honda will reimburse owners who have already repaired corroded drive shafts.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 200,000 cars are included in this Honda recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool to check your car for open recalls.

Rebecca RandHonda recalls 210,000 cars over risk drive shaft will snap

Honda minivans and SUVs recalled for faulty control panel

Pleasanton, CA – July 29, 2020 – Honda (NYSE: HMC) has recalled 607,784 vans and SUVs with malfunctioning instrument panels and rear view cameras.  This is one of the five recalls Honda issued so far this year. This recall includes:

  • 2018-2020 Honda Odyssey minivans
  • 2019-2020 Honda Passport SUVs
  • 2019-2021 Honda Pilot SUVs

Recall summary  

Due to a glitch in programming, the vehicles’ instrument panels have been known to randomly turn off depriving the driver of vital information – such as the car’s speed and oil level – and disabling the rear view camera display.  The shutdown has sometimes been accompanied by a continuous beeping or crackling noise that has been really distracting to drivers.

Risks

Rearview cameras display a 10-foot to 20-foot zone directly behind the car to avoid backover crashes. If the camera malfunctions when the car is in reverse that can result in an accident. In fact, one of the Honda drivers reported leading up to the recall that the frozen rearview camera display caused him to nearly hit his neighbor when backing out of the driveway!

Separately, not having access to vital safety information such as the car’s speed or oil level is very dangerous. It can, for example, cause the driver to go over the speed limit or bring about the engine’s failure, increasing the risk of a crash.

Finally, having the infotainment system fail – or hearing any kind of unusual noises – while driving can be very distracting.  Distracted driving is dangerous— in 2018, distracted driving killed 2,841 people and injured 400,000 more. 

The repair

Honda will update the car’s software, which should stop the infotainment system from crashing. The update is available for free at dealerships now, and should take a half day or less to be completed.

Is your vehicle part of this recall?

Over 600,000 vehicles are included in this Honda recall. To see if your car is one of them, use MotorSafety’s free vehicle lookup tool.

Rebecca RandHonda minivans and SUVs recalled for faulty control panel