Honda Recalls 1.4 Million Vehicles in Multiple Campaigns

On Tuesday, Honda announced a bevy of recalls encompassing more than 1.4 million automobiles sold in the United States. Split between several campaigns, the recalls encompass everything from dissolving driveshafts to bum window controls that could potentially result in a vehicle fire.

According to reports issued via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the first and most-pressing issue involves the 2002-2006 Honda CR-V. Crossovers introduced to moisture could see their power window switches failing. If sufficient moisture is applied to the wires, Honda stated that there is some risk of a “thermal event.” As of November, the automaker said it was aware of 87 such instances and 23 reported events of fire.

Honda estimates that there are 268,655 CR-Vs affected and stated that recall notices should be sent to owners by January 18th. Technicians will inspect the wiring harness for damage and replace the master window power switch free of charge. A similar recall was conducted in 2012 but Honda but did not address concerns about moisture by replacing the device.

Next up is roughly 735,000 Accords from the 2018-2020 model years and Insights from 2019-2020. Honda said it needed to update the body control module software before it creates a series of bizarre headaches for the driver. Windshield wipers going haywire, flickering (or dead) exterior lighting, disabled defrosters, inoperable rear-view cameras, illuminated warning lights, and more make this a low-rent version of Tesla’s celebration mode. Unfortunately, the lack of predictability and potential for danger makes this an undesirable feature the manufacturer is hoping to fix with a software update (also starting January 18th).

The last recall is actually two separate campaigns dealing with corroding driveshafts on roughly 430,000 Acura and Honda vehicles. Road salt can cause the driveshaft to deteriorate, making the issue of particular concern to those driving in states with snowy winters. Honda thinks someone may have incorrectly cured protective coating during driveshaft installation.

Recalled models include the 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, 2007-2014 Honda Fit, 2013-2015 Acura ILX, and 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid. While the main issue is premature driveshaft wear, there’s supposed to be a chance of full-blown breakages. Honda recommended actually using the parking brake to prevent a roll-away risk. Sourcing the necessary replacement parts has forced the company to push the official recall back to the start of February.

Customers concerned their ride might be affected can always call Honda at 1-888-234-2138 or check out its recalls website. They can also utilize the NHTSA’s website for the same purpose. Just be sure to have your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) handy.

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