Topline
Honda is recalling more than 750,000 vehicles installed with faulty air bag sensors, which could cause the air bags to deploy unintentionally in a crash, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Tuesday, the latest recall by the Japanese automaker in recent months.
The recall affects some Civic, Odyssey and Accord models, among others.
Key Facts
The recall affects some Honda Acura, Pilot, Civic sedan, HR-V and Odyssey vehicles from the 2020-2022 model years, in addition to 2020 Fit and Civic Coupe cars, the 2021 and 2022 Civic hatchback, the 2021 Civic Type R and Insight, and CR-V, CR-V hybrid, Passport, Ridgeline and Accord hybrid vehicles from the 2020 and 2021 model years.
An investigation into those vehicles determined a weight sensor for the front passenger seat could crack and short-circuit, causing air bags to not be turned off as intended, according to the NHTSA.
The issue could then cause air bags to unintentionally deploy during a crash and increase the risk of injury, the agency said.
There have been no reports of injuries or deaths caused by the defective part between June 30, 2020, and Jan. 19, according to Honda, which said it would notify affected customers starting March 18.
Customers can make an appointment with a Honda dealer to determine whether their vehicle is affected by the defect, after which the dealer will replace the weight sensor for free if needed, according to the filing.
Surprising Fact
Honda told the NHTSA that an unspecified natural disaster likely impacted the manufacturing of the defective piece, according to Reuters. A supplier temporarily switched out the base material of the printed circuit board for the weight sensor, which “could allow additional strain” to the circuit board and cause the defect, Honda said.
Big Number
750,114. That’s the estimated number of vehicles that could be affected by the defective sensors, according to the filing. It was not immediately clear how many vehicles from each model were affected.
Key Background
The Japanese automaker recalled about 106,000 CR-V hybrid vehicles last month over a missing fuse that could short-circuit the battery cable, increasing the risk of fire or injury during a crash. In December, Honda recalled more than 2.5 million cars in the U.S. because a fuel pump inside the fuel tank might fail, causing the vehicles to stall while driving. An additional 2 million vehicles were recalled internationally for the same issue. A month earlier, Honda recalled nearly 250,000 vehicles for a defective connecting rod bearing in the engine, which could cause the engine to “run improperly” or stall while driving.
Further Reading
Honda To Recall More Than 100,000 Hybrid Vehicles Over Risk Of Fire, Injury In A Crash (Forbes)