NEWS:    Honda expands recall for Honda and Acura air bag defect

DECEMBER 2011 -- In December 2011, this recall was expanded to include an additional 272,779 vehicles and 640 air bags sold as replacement parts. Because Honda is unable to ascertain on which vehicles the 604 replacement air bags were installed, an additional 603,241 vehicles are also being recalled. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 1,709,477. This recall concerns certain vehicles falling within the following make, model, and model year populations, inclusive of this expansion: model year 2001-2002 Honda Accord, model year 2001-2003 Civic 2-door and 4-door model, model year 2002-2003 CR-V, model year 2001-2003 Odyssey, model year 2003 Acura CL, model year 2003 pilot and model year 2002-2003 Acura TL vehicles. This recall is related to a series of recalls on these vehicles in which Honda is replacing the inflators within the driver's side air bag to address a defective condition. This recall addresses both air bags that were originally installed in the vehicles, as well as replacement air bags that may have been installed as replacement service parts. A replacement air bag may have been installed, as one example, if a vehicle had been in a crash necessitating the replacement of the driver's air bag. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's air bag, the inflator could produce excessive internal pressure that could cause the inflator to rupture with metal fragments striking and injuring the driver or other occupants. Owners of all vehicles on which a replacement service air bag may have been installed will be notified. Dealers will inspect vehicles, and where a defective air bag inflator is identified, the inflator will be replaced, free of charge. The safety recall began on or about june 27, 2011. Owners of vehicles involved in the december 2011 expansion will be notified in december 2011. This safety recall campaign is related to recalls 08v-593, 09v-259, and 10v-041. Owners may also contact the national highway traffic safety administration's vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty 1-800-424-9153), or go to http://www.Safercar.Gov . 11V-260

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Honda Accord
• Honda Civic
• Honda Odyssey
• Honda CR-V
• Honda Pilot
• Acura TL
• Acura CL
• NHTSA Recall Info

NEWS:  Honda recalls 304,035 cars globally for air bag defect

YAHOO NEWS -- December 2,  2011 – Honda Motor Co. announced today it has recalled 304,000 vehicles globally because they may contain defective air bags.
The global recall affects some of Honda and Acura’s most popular models, including the Accord, Civic, Odyssey and Pilot, over concerns that the vehicles’ air bags could burst in a crash due to defective inflators, sending metal and plastic pieces flying and potentially causing injury or death.

Some 273,000 of the cars recalled are in the U.S. and Canada, Honda said.

The recall announced today by the Japanese automaker is the sixth recall since 2008 for the same problem, and brings the total number of cars recalled to nearly 2 million.

By comparison, rival carmaker Toyota has recalled about 12 million vehicles in the past two years, according to the Associated Press.

Earlier this year, Honda recalled nearly 700,000 vehicles in Asia and North America citing stalling engines.

Honda said there have been 20 accidents so far related to the air bag problem, including two deaths in the U.S., both in 2009.

The specific list of cars affected by Honda’s expanded recall includes: 2001 and 2002 Accord, 2001 to 2003 Civic, 2001 to 3003 Odyssey, 2002 and 2003 CR-V, 2003 Pilot, 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TL and 2003 Acura 3.2 CL

Honda’s expanded recall includes: 2001 and 2002 Accord, 2001 to 2003 Civic, 2001 to 3003 Odyssey, 2002 and 2003 CR-V, 2003 Pilot, 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TL and 2003 Acura 3.2 CL

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Honda Accord
• Honda Civic
• Honda Odyssey
• Honda CR-V
• Honda Pilot
• Acura TL
• Acura CL

NEWS:   Honda recalling 86,000 vehicles in U.S. for fire, rollaway concerns

DETROIT NEWS -- September 4,  2011 – Honda Motor Co. said early Sunday it is recalling nearly 86,000 vehicles in two separate campaigns — including one to address possible fire concerns.

With the new recalls, Honda has now called back more vehicles than it did in all of 2010.

Honda said it is recalling 80,111 2006 CR-V vehicles to replace the power window master switch — after the U.S. government said it had reports of five fires.

The design of the power window master switch can allow residue from interior cleaners to accumulate, which can, over time with switch use, cause the electrical contacts to degrade and lead to a fire in the switch, the Japanese automaker said.

Honda said no injuries or deaths have been reported in connection with the CR-V issue.

In April, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration upgraded an investigation into the 2006 CR-V after the agency had received five reports alleging smoke and fire occurred inside the driver's door. It received another 24 complains that didn't include fires.

Separately, Honda will voluntarily recall 5,626 2011 CR-Z in the United States equipped with manual transmissions to update the software that controls the hybrid electric motor.

Honda said when the gasoline engine has stalled with the battery in a very low state of charge and the transmission in gear, it is possible for the electric motor to rotate in the direction opposite to that selected by the transmission. If this occurs and the driver has not engaged the brakes, the vehicle might slowly roll in an unexpected direction. Honda said it could roll backwards when the transmission is in a forward gear — potentially leading to a crash.

Honda will upgrade the software to correct the problem. No injuries or deaths have been reported related to this condition.

Honda will begin notifying customers in September.

The automaker has reported two large recalls recently.

Honda said last month it was recalling 1.51 million vehicles in the United States to address complaints of engine stalls and vehicles shifting out of park — part of a worldwide recall of 2.5 million vehicles.

In May, Honda boosted a recall of vehicles for air bags that can deploy with too much pressure by 833,000. The recall was expanded to 2001-03 Honda and Acura models that might have the original driver's air bag module replaced with an affected service part. Honda has now called back 1.6 million vehicles over the issue since 2008. At least 12 incidents and one death are linked to the issue since 2010.

Honda recalled 2.4 million vehicles in the United States in 2010 — the third highest number — behind Toyota Motor Corp. and General Motors Co

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Honda CR-V
• Honda CR-Z

SEPTEMBER 2011 -- Honda is recalling certain model year 2006 CR-V passenger cars manufactured from October 3, 2005, through July 21, 2006. The driver-side power window switch may fail or melt. If the switch fails, the power windows may become inoperative preventing them from being rolled up or down. If the switch melts, it will produce smoke and a fire could occur. Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver side power window switch assembly free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin on or about October 5, 2011.   11V-456

 

NEWS:   Honda to recall 1.5 million vehicles in US

YAHOO NEWS -- August 4,  2011 – Honda to recall 1.5 million vehicles in US

Honda Motor said Friday it will recall about 1.5 million vehicles in the United States to update the software that controls their automatic transmission.

Honda said in a press release on its US site that the vehicles in the voluntary recall will include certain Accord, CR-V and Element models.

No injuries or deaths have been reported related to this condition, the statement said.

The Japanese carmaker will also recall 760,000 Honda models sold in China to fix the same problem, Japan's Kyodo news agency reported.

A bearing in the automatic transmission system was not built with sufficient strength and as a result the transmission system may emit an abnormal noise or cause the engine to stall under certain gear shift operations, Honda said.

Similar Honda models are sold in Canada, Europe and other markets. Altogether, 2.49 million Honda models installed with the faulty transmission are involved, Kyodo quoted Honda officials as saying.

They said the affected Honda models are not sold in Japan.

Honda has received reports of an abnormal transmission noise and transmission malfunctions but there have been no reports of accidents, the company said

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Honda Accord
• Honda Element
• Honda CR-V

AUGUST 2011 -- Honda is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Accord, 2007-2010 CR-V, and 2005-2008 Element passenger cars manufactured from July 1, 2004, through September 3, 2010. The outer race of the secondary shaft bearing may be broken during certain driving styles. A broken outer race may cause abnormal noise, the malfunction indicator light to turn on, and allow contact between the transmission idle gear and an electronic sensor housing within the transmission. This could result in a short circuit causing the engine to stall. Additionally, broken pieces of the outer race or ball bearing from the secondary shaft may become lodged in the parking pawl resulting in the vehicle rolling after the driver has placed the gear selector in the park position. Engine stall and unexpected vehicle movement increases the risk of a crash or personal injury to persons within the path of a rolling vehicle. Honda will notify owners and dealers will update the automatic transmission control module software free of charge. The safety recall began on August 27, 2011.   Honda's recall campaign number is R89. 11V-395

NEWS:   Honda adds 833,000 vehicles to airbag recall

YAHOO NEWS -- May 4, 2011 – Honda Motor Co Ltd expanded an earlier recall of Honda and Acura vehicles over airbags that could deploy with too much pressure, causing injuries or fatalities, the company said.

The expanded recall adds more than 833,000 vehicles for the model years 2001 through 2003.

Some of these vehicles contain replacement airbags that could contain the defect. Honda is looking for 2,430 replacement airbags that could contain the defect, but could not locate them all, leading to the large recall.

This is the fourth time Honda has widened its airbag recall. The first recall related to this issue was in 2008.

The number of vehicles affected now stands at 1.65 million, according to figures reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

These additional vehicles were not included in earlier safety recalls because the original airbag modules on the driver's side were not affected by the issue. But replacement airbags could contain the defect, Honda said.

Honda told safety regulators that just 0.29 percent of the affected vehicles are likely to contain the defect.

In certain vehicles, excess pressure could cause the airbag inflator to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material causing injury or even a fatality.

A "small number" of injuries and two fatalities are linked to the airbag recalls, Honda spokeswoman Christina Ra said. These were not recent and did not kick off this move, Ra said.

The recall includes some 2001 and 2002 Accord and Civic sedans, 2002 Odyssey minivans and 2002 and 2003 CR-V crossover vehicles. It also includes 2002 and 2003 Acura 3.2 TL and 2003 3.2 CL vehicles.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• 2001-2002:  Honda Accord
• 2001-2002:  Honda Civic
• 2002:  Honda Odyssey
• 2002-2003:  Honda CR-V
• 2002-2003:  Acura TL

NEWS:   NHTSA opens investigations into Honda, Kia vehicles

DETROIT NEWS -- November 29,  2010 –  Washington— The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened investigations into electrical issues on the 2006 Honda CR-V and shifting issues with the 2007 Kia Optima.

The probes — both opened after just three complaints — are the latest examples of how federal safety regulators are opening more investigations into potential safety issues than in recent years and moving faster than in the past.

In the first, NHTSA is investigating 150,000 2006 Honda CR-V models after reports of melting or burning of the master power window switch and related electrical system wiring components. All three complaints alleged fires in the driver's door related to the driver's master power window switch.

Separately, NHTSA is also probing 41,000 2007 Kia Optima models over complaints that the automatic transmission shift cable may detach from the shifter assembly. If this occurs, the transmission gear shifter becomes inoperative.

NHTSA said it had received three complaints concerning automatic transmission shift cable detachment and inability to engage the gears (park, drive and reverse) in model year 2007 Kia Optima vehicles. "One of the complaints also reported is a rollaway incident after parking the vehicle," NHTSA said.

In 2007, Kia Motors issued a technical service bulletin concerning incorrectly installed automatic transmission shift cables in certain model year 2006 and 2007 Kia Optima vehicles. The bulletin said that over time these cables can detach from the shifter assemblies' dowel pins resulting in the inability to select or engage drive gears. NHTSA noted that difficulty engaging park may also occur.

Honda and Kia didn't immediately return calls seeking comment.

NHTSA came under harsh criticism from Congress earlier this year in the wake of Toyota Motor Corp.'s sudden acceleration issues and the disclosure that NHTSA had not done more to force Toyota to make fixes in response to complaints.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• 2006 Honda CR-V
• 2007 Kia Optima

JANUARY 2011 - Honda is recalling certain model year 2010 Honda Accord and CR-V vehicles. There is a potential failure with the engine wiring harness connector which may cause intermittent spark firing or the engine to stall. An engine stall will increase the risk of a crash. Dealer will inspect and replace the ignition wiring harness connector free of charge. The safety recall began on January 24, 2011. 11V-004

FEBRUARY 2010 -- Honda is recalling certain model year 2001-2002 Honda Accord and Civic, model year 2002 CR-V and Odyssey, model year 2002-2003 3.2TL and one vehicle for model year 2003 Honda Pilot, Civic and Acura 3.2CL passenger vehicles. The driver's airbag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure. If an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the airbag cushion material possibly causing injury or fatality to vehicle occupants. Dealers will replace the airbag inflator free of charge. The safety recall began on February 26, 2010. Owners may contact . 10V-041