Torrance, Calif. – Jan. 12, 2017 – Honda will conduct a recall of nearly 10,000 Ridgeline AWD vehicles after it became apparent that a particular defect allows moisture to build up and corrode rear-wheel sensors, ultimately threatening vehicle stability.

The Defect

The problem affects model year 2017 Ridgeline vehicles manufactured between April 1, 2016 and Aug. 11, 2016, according to documents compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. An error in a wiring connection joint underneath a drain hole in the truck bed allows moisture to seep in. This can come into contact with connection terminals, including speed terminals located at the rear wheels. If these cannot function, drivers may experience loss of control and could be at higher risk of crashing during operation.

Timeline of Events

• July 6, 2016 – Honda received its first warranty claim of a Ridgeline with a Malfunction Indicator Lamp Illumination.
• August. – October 2016 – Further investigation of the claim revealed that the problem may have been corroded wiring harnesses. Honda reached out to suppliers and confirmed that the design of the wiring connection did not match specifications. This was corrected in the production line. Meanwhile, additional review of the problem showed that an all-wheel drive system failure would initiate a fail-safe mode for safe operation.
• November 2016 – Honda later discovered that specific corrosion scenarios could cause sensor terminals to report nonexistent wheel slippage, resulting in stability problems. Honda determined that this merited a safety recall.

Resolution

Owners of all affected vehicles will be notified of the recall by mail, and will be asked to bring their vehicles to their nearest dealer for inspection. If necessary, all repairs will be completed, free of charge.

Torrance, Calif. — Sept. 30, 2016 — Some Honda vehicles could fail to comply with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards guideline 108 – “Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment.” The original acknowledgement, dated for Aug. 10, stated that some 2016 Honda Civic vehicles may potentially come with faulty lights.

The manufacturer reported the issue Jul. 8, and it could affect 11,846 2-door vehicles. In these autos, the source said, circuit board damage could affect the lights and make vehicles harder to see. All of the included vehicles were produced between Feb. 23 and May 20.

According to the Part 573 Safety Recall Report, the first vehicles with these issues were discovered May 24 as part of a vehicle quality check. The discovery led to the June 30 decision to conduct a recall, after circuit boards were possibly damaged in transit.

No specific signs for determining if the problem was present were listed. The remedy requires dealers to inspect Honda tail light assemblies. The report also said that there were no injuries related to this defect as of June 23.

The affected component comes from supplier Automotive Lighting LLC, based in Auburn Hills, Mich. Owner notification was scheduled Aug. 8, almost a full month after dealer notification on July 9. The report said that owners would be notified by mail if they were subject to this recall.

An instruction document from the manufacturer goes into greater detail about the procedures needed to repair the vehicles. Both the right and left taillight assemblies may be necessary for the remedy, depending on the specific case. The procedure will have dealers remove the trunk rear side trim panels to install either one or both taillights.

Torrance, CA — May 16, 2016 —More than 11,600 Honda Accord Sedans are part of a new recall addressing airbag issues. According to a press release, these airbags do not meet U.S. standards and could put vehicle occupants in danger. Though the source didn’t say exactly which features aren’t compliant, it noted that customers should receive notifications starting this May.

Airbag modules in these vehicles were accidentally made to South American standards instead of those of the United States. There have been no reports of injury, though the manufacturer has received more than 30 warranty claims. The potentially faulty vehicles were produced between 2003 and 2007.

Once they receive the official notification, owners can work with dealers to replace the faulty modules.

Visit our blog for more airbag recall news, including details on the Takata airbag inflator recalls.