Honda recalls 1.4 million cars, SUVs for 3 separate problems
Corroding driveshafts, malfunctioning lights and "thermal events" are addressed in recalls for the CR-V, Accord, Civic and more.
Honda filed three whopping recalls with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration this past week that cover just over 1.2 million cars. According to the three separate filings, Honda will recall cars for failing power window switches that can lead to fires, faulty body control modules and corroding driveshafts that may fail.
The three recalls include numerous different vehicles, so we'll hit them one by one to keep things organized. The first is a recall that exclusively covers the 2002-2006 Honda CR-V. These SUVs may feature failing power window switches due to moisture entering the area. If the wires dampen, they may melt or totally fail, and in turn, there's a chance of an interior fire. As of this past November, Honda said it's aware of 23 reported fires and 87 other "reports of thermal events" related to the issue.
Owners will need to bring their CR-V to a Honda service center where a technician will inspect the wiring harness for damage and replace the master power window switch at no cost to owners. A total of 268,655 SUVs may be at risk, the company said. Mailed notices should be sent out around Jan. 18.
Honda is recalling 2002-2004 CR-V crossover SUVs over power window switch issues.
Next up is a recall to tackle body control module failures in a handful of cars: the 2018-2020 Accord and Accord Hybrid, and the 2019-2020 Insight. The BCM software problem can lead to a host of vehicle malfunctions. According to the automaker, drivers of the three cars may be subject to windshield wipers that don't work, broken defrosters, inoperable rearview cameras and exterior lights that won't flick on. The fix is simply a software update for the cars. Honda estimates 713,233 cars include the defect and plans to send out notices around Jan. 18. Honda isn't aware of any injuries or crashes associated with the problems.
Finally, a total of 430,000 cars are part of a recall campaign involving corroding driveshafts. Honda split the campaign into two parts, one that covers 210,000 cars and another covering 220,000.
The 210,000-car recall includes the 2013-2015 Acura ILX and ILX Hybrid, 2012 Civic Hybrid and 2007-2008 Fit. The specific vehicles included reside in states where road salt or other contaminants may corrode the driveshaft and cause them to fail. The vehicles were sold or registered at some point in the following states:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Washington, DC
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kentucky
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- Vermont
- Virginia
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
Honda may not have properly applied a protective coating for the named cars, and in each of these states, road salt can cause the driveshaft to deteriorate. If the driveshaft fails, drivers may lose power suddenly and the vehicle can roll away if the parking brake is not engaged. Another 220,000 2013-2015 Accord sedans are also part of this recall in a separate campaign, which covers the same states. No injuries or crashes have been reported. The cause is a lubricant on the driveshaft that may damage the protective coating for the component.
The automaker plans to inspect the driveshafts of each car and replace them if necessary. Owners should receive mailed notices around Feb. 1.
