While recalls are a fairly common thing in the automotive world, manufacturing defects involving so many different vehicles are very rare to come by.
Honda made big news, announcing multiple recalls that affect a total of 1.79 million vehicles worldwide, out of which 1.4 million sold in the United States.
More specifically, three different recalls affect several Honda and Acura models, spanning over a wide range of model years. Fortunately, all the recalls are said to be over small but important safety issues.
The first recall affects certain 2013-2015 Acura ILX (including hybrid models), 2012 Honda Civic hybrid, 2007-2008 Honda Fit with a manual transmission, and 2009-2014 Honda Fit. The issue is related to the failure of the driveshaft due to improper application of its protective coating. Honda said that certain driveshafts were allowed to cool below the specification temperature before the protective coating was applied during assembly. The low temperature resulted in poor adhesion of the coating material, leaving it susceptible to corrosion.
The Japanese manufacturer said it had received a few reports wherein the driveshafts failed during operation but was not aware of any injury yet. As part of the recall, Honda will be replacing the entire driveshaft if there are signs of corrosion. The recall is expected to begin on February 1 2021, subject to the availability of parts.
The second and the largest recall with 737,233 vehicles pertains to a software error in certain 2018-2020 Accord (including Hybrid models) and 2019-2020 Insight models. The problem seems to be a programming defect that can cause malfunctions in systems such as windshield wipers, defrost, rearview camera and exterior lighting.
Even though the problem seems minuscule and unimportant, Honda is taking no chances when it comes to passenger safety. The brand will send official notifications to affected vehicle owners and begin the process from January 18, 2021. Service centers will update the software of affected cars free-of-charge.
To conclude, the last recall affects around 268,656 units of 2002-2006 Honda CR-V SUV. This recall was caused by a faulty power window master switch (PWMS) where there was not enough isolation. In case of moisture reaching the PWMS, there was a risk of a short circuit that could result in a fire. Beginning January 18th, 2021, owners will have their PWMS unit replaced for free.
Owners of affected cars can contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138 or check the NHTSA website for updates.
