Torrance, Calif. – Nov. 30, 2017 – American Honda Motor Company has recalled more than 5,400 believed to contain defective right halfshafts, according to an internal defect information report submitted to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. The campaign affects 2017 Honda Civic sedans produced between Aug. 30, 2017 and Sept. 30, 2017, as well as Honda Civic coupes that rolled off the assembly line between Aug. 10, 2017 and Oct. 3, 2017. The automaker is unsure how many of the vehicles referenced in the action are equipped with the defective parts.
The Defect
Affected models could be equipped with right halfshafts that did not receive proper heat treatment during production and are therefore not structurally sound. As a result, vehicle load and operational stress may fracture these components, leading to the immediate loss of motive power. Should this breakage occur while the vehicle is parked without the emergency brake engaged, it could roll away.
The defective halfshafts pose a serious hazard to owners. However, Honda has not received reports connecting the defect to any accidents or injuries as yet.
Timeline of Events
On Sept. 30, 2017, engineers at a Honda production facility conducted a post-assembly road test during which a new vehicle lost motive power due to the sudden fracture of the right halfshaft. The automaker immediately instituted a yard hold and launched an internal investigation into issue. Quality assurance personnel reviewed existing production processes and found that a parts supplier had used defective equipment to cool halfshafts following heat treatment. This oversight inhibited the parts’ structural integrity.
On Nov. 2, Honda decided to conduct a voluntary safety recall to address the issue. The vehicle manufacturer notified dealers Nov. 3.
The Solution
Honda has directed dealers to replace the halfshafts in affected models free of charge, according to an NHTSA recall acknowledgement document. The company intends to notify owners via first-class mail Dec. 15. Those in need of more immediate assistance can contact Honda customer service at (888) 234-2138. Callers should use the internal recall reference code K0E. Owners can also contact the NHTSA directly using its Vehicle Safety Hotline at (888) 327-4236.
