YAHOO NEWS – March 16, 2010 – Honda Motor Co. will recall more than 410,000 Odyssey minivans and Element small trucks because of braking system problems that could make it tougher to stop the vehicle if not repaired.

The recall includes 344,000 Odysseys and 68,000 Elements from the 2007 and 2008 model years.

Honda said in a statement that over time, brake pedals can feel "soft" and must be pressed closer to the floor to stop the vehicles. Left unrepaired, the problem could cause loss of braking power and possibly a crash, Honda spokesman.....said.

"It's definitely not operating the way it should, and it's safety systems, so it brings it to the recall status," he said.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has reported three crashes due to the problem with minor injuries and no deaths, Martin said. Honda notified NHTSA of the recall on Monday, he said.

Honda has traced the problem to the device that powers the electronic stability control system, which selectively brakes each of the wheels to keep the vehicles upright during an emergency situation.

When the device, called a "vehicle stability assist modulator," tests itself when the vehicles are started, it allows a small amount of air into the hydraulic brake lines. Over time, an air bubble in the lines can cause a loss of braking power and require that the pedal be pushed farther toward the floor than normal to stop the vehicles, said.

"Although not all vehicles being recalled are affected by this issue, we are recalling all possible units to assure all customers that their vehicles will perform correctly," Honda said in a statement.

Under the recall, which Honda said it volunteered to do, Honda said that owners should wait to get a letter from the company before scheduling a repair because the parts are not yet available. Letters should go out toward the end of April.

Drivers who fear that they've lost braking power should have their dealer check the brakes sooner, ...said. The dealer can "bleed" air bubbles out of the hydraulic lines, which should fix the problem until the parts arrive for the final repair, he said.

Honda technicians will put plastic caps and sealant over two small holes in the device to stop the air from getting in, ... said.

The automaker is still preparing a list of affected vehicles. After April 19, owners can determine if their vehicles are being recalled by going to http://www.recalls.honda.com or by calling (800) 999-1009, and selecting option number four.

The safety recall is Honda's second in the past two months. In February it recalled 952,118 vehicles globally due to air bag problems.

It comes on the heels of Toyota Motor Corp.'s spate of safety recalls that include more than 8 million vehicles worldwide for braking and sudden acceleration problems.

One of the Toyota recalls is a braking software problem that causes the pedal of the Prius gas-electric hybrid to momentarily drop toward the floor.

Ford Motor Co. had a similar software problem with its Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids. The company told owners of 17,600 cars to bring them in for a software update because a glitch can give drivers the impression that the brakes have failed when they haven't.

The automaker called the repairs a "customer satisfaction program" and said it was not a full-fledged recall.

MORE RECALL INFO

• Honda Odyssey
• Honda Element

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

FEBRUARY 2010 -- Honda is conducting a safety improvement campaign involving certain model year 2005 Odyssey Touring vehicles equipped with power operated rear liftgate. The power liftgate gas struts may deteriorate unexpectedly early. Struts that have worn out prematurely may fail to hold the power liftgate in the fully open position, causing the power liftgate to close unexpectedly. Injury may result from a power liftgate closing unexpectedly when a person is within the closing path of the liftgate. Dealers will inspect the gas liftgate struts and replace if within the recall population. This service will be performed free of charge. The campaign is expected to begin during March 2010.  10V-055

JANUARY 2010 - Honda is recalling certain model year 2006 and 2007 Honda Ridgeline vehicles manufactured between January 17, 2005, and June 7, 2006. A wiring harness connector for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor located under the passenger's side of the instrument panel may be accessible to kicking by the front seat passenger's feet. If this occurs, the connector terminal may overheat, and this may cause the wire insulation to melt or the wiring connector to melt. Should the wiring insulation melts and the exposed wires contact each other it will result in a short circuit and a fire could occur. Dealers will inspect and if the wiring connector is damaged it will be replaced and all vehicles will have the protective cover installed free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during March 2010.  10V-001

JANUARY 2010 - Honda is recalling certain model year Acura 2010 MDX vehicles manufactured between October 7, 2009 and November 14, 2009. A bolt used to attach an interior trim piece to either the driver's or passenger's side a-pillar may not have been installed during manufacturing. In the event of a crash resulting in side curtain air bag deployment, the trim piece may not remain properly secured to the a-pillar, increasing the risk of injury to the driver and/or front seat passenger. Dealers will inspect the interior trim piece of the A-pillar and if a bolt is missing it will be installed free of charge. Four vehicles were purchased before the stop-sale was issued and all the vehicles have been inspected and repaired if necessary, an owner notification will not be issued for this campaign.  10V-002

DETROIT (Reuters) - July 31, 2009 - Honda Motor Co said on Friday that it is recalling another 440,000 vehicles -- including some of its best-selling Accord and Civic models -- for a potentially lethal airbag defect.

MORE RECALL INFO: 

• Honda Accord
• Honda Civic
• Acura TL

JULY 2009 -- Honda is recalling 440,000 Model Year 2001 and 2002 Civic, Accord, and Acura 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 air bag cushion material possibly causing injury to vehicle occupants. Dealers will replace the airbag inflator free of charge. Dealers will replace the airbag inflator free of charge. The safety recall is expected to begin during August 2009. Honda's recall campaign Nos. Q96 (Accord and Civic) and R13 (Acura). 09V-259

FEBRUARY 2009 --  Honda is recalling 421 MY 2009 Odyssey vehicles. During assembly, incorrect front brake hoses were installed. The brake hose can contact the caliper bolt and over time a hole may develop which will allow brake fluid to leak. This would eventually result in reduced brake system performance. Drivers would not be aware of brake system failure and braking capability would not be possible, increasing the risk of a crash. Dealers will inspect both front brake hoses and replace with the correct brake hoses free of charge. The recall began on February 12, 2009. Owners may contact Honda at 1-800-999-1009.  09V-057

NOVEMBER 2008 -- Honda is recalling 3,940 MY 2001 Accord and Civic vehicles. The driver's air bag inflator could produce excessive internal pressure. If an affected air bag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture. Metal fragments could pass through the air bag cushion material possibly causing injury to vehicle occupants. Dealers will replace the air bag inflator free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before December 22, 2008.   08V593

OCTOBER 2008 -- Honda is recalling 128 MY 2008-2009 Civic sedans. A bracket that covers the fuel hose connector is secured with a bolt and nut, but during assembly, the nut was not installed. In the event of a crash, the bracket may become loose which could result in damage to the fuel hose connector. A damaged connector could lead to a fuel leak and increases the risk of a fire. Dealers will install a nut on the fuel feed hose bracket. The recall is expected to begin during November 2008. . 08V535

APRIL 2008 -- Honda is recalling 351,000 MY 2003 Accord vehicles. If water enters the windshield wiper motor breather port, which is designed to allow the motor to vent warm air during normal operation, it can result in corrosion inside the motor housing. This can cause a failure of the electrical circuit breaker inside the motor housing. If the circuit breaker fails, it will cause the windshield wiper motor to become inoperative, which can increase the likelihood of a crash in certain conditions. Dealers will inspect the windshield wiper motor for signs of corrosion. If no signs of corrosion are present, a cover will be installed over the wiper motor to prevent water from entering the wiper motor housing. If signs of corrosion damage are observed on the wiper motor, the motor will be replaced. The recall is expected to begin on or about June 17, 2008. This recall was the subject of a Preliminary Evaluation, PE07-060, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation. 08V169

FEBRUARY 2008 -- Honda is recalling 273,000 MY 2004-2008 Acura TL vehicles. Prolonged high under-hood temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely causing the hose to crack and leak power steering fluid. Power steering fluid leaking onto a hot catalytic converter will generate smoke and possibly lead to an under-hood fire. Dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose free of charge. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign.   08V091

FEBRUARY 2008 -- Honda is recalling 129,600 MY 2004-2005 Acura TL vehicles. If water enters the windshield wiper motor breather port, which is designed to allow the motor to vent warm air during normal operation, it can result in corrosion inside the motor housing. This could cause a failure of the electrical circuit breaker inside the motor housing. If the circuit breaker fails, it will cause the windshield wiper motor to become inoperative, which can increase the likelihood of a crash in certain conditions. Dealers will inspect the windshield wiper motor for signs of corrosion. If no signs of corrosion are present, a snorkel tube will be added to the wiper motor breather port to prevent water from entering the wiper motor housing and foam tape will be installed on the cowl above the wiper motor to direct water away from the wiper motor. If signs of corrosion damage are observed on the wiper motor, the motor will be replaced, and the breather tube and foam tape will also be installed to prevent water intrusion on the new wiper motor. The manufacturer has not yet provided an owner notification schedule for this campaign. This recall was the subject of a Preliminary Evaluation, PE07-060, conducted by the Office of Defects Investigation.  08V092

DECEMBER 2007 -- Honda is recalling 43,200 MY 2005-2008 Acura RL passenger vehicles. Prolonged high under-hood temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate prematurely causing the hose to crack and leak power steering fluid. Power steering fluid leaking onto a hot catalytic converter will generate smoke and possibly lead to an under-hood fire. Dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose. The recall is expected to begin during January 17, 2007. 07V-551

DECEMBER 2007 -- Honda is recalling 34,300 MY 2007-2008 Fit vehicles originally sold in or currently registered in the states of Connecticut, Delaware, 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 and the District of Columbia. The wire harness for the occupant detection system (ODS) and the occupant position detection system (OPDS) is routed underneath the carpet on the driver's side floorboard. In areas where road salt is used, salt from the snow on the driver's shoes will melt and may penetrate the carpet and leak into the wire harness. If the harness is exposed to salt brine, corrosion may occur and the wire may break causing the SRS indicator light to illuminate. A failure of the ODS and OPDS may not detect the presence of a child seat or an out-of-position passenger and deployment of both the front seat passenger's frontal and side air bags will not be suppressed. In the event of a crash, a deploying front passenger air bag or front passenger's side air bag will increase the risk of injury to small or out-of-position occupants. Dealers will inspect and replace the wire harness. The recall is expected to begin during January 2008. 07V-549

NOVEMBER 2007 -- Honda is recalling 410 MY 2008 Ridgeline vehicles. The hole in the sheet metal front bulkhead that serves as the base and pivot point for the hood support rod was not punched to specification. The hood support rod may fail to hold the hood in position due to insufficient strength. If the hood support rod hole fails, the hood could fall increasing the risk of injury. Dealers will inspect the prop rod base hole and, if necessary, install reinforcement parts free of charge. Honda telephoned all owners on November 26, 2007, asking them to bring their vehicles in to their dealers for inspection. A followup letter will be mailed during January 2008. 07V542

AUGUST 2007 -- Honda is recalling 182,756 MY 2006-2007 Civic sedan and coupe model vehicles. The wheel speed sensor housing uses an O-ring seal to prevent leakage to or from the wheel bearing. If assembled improperly, the O-ring may not seal properly allowing water to enter the wheel bearing and eventually cause damage to the bearing, especially in areas where use of road salt is prevalent. If the driver continues to drive with this condition, it is possible for the wheel bearing to become loose, which could cause the bearing to fail. This could cause a wheel to fall off of the vehicle, possibly resulting in a crash. Dealers will inspect the rear ABS sensors and wheel bearings for damaged parts and replace them. The recall began on September 25, 2007. 07V399

AUGUST 2007 -- Honda is recalling 19,904 MY 2006 Civic sedan and hybrid vehicles. During assembly, the telescopic steering column mechanism may have been over-lubricated with silicone grease. Over time, some of this extra grease may drip on the brake light switch causing the switch to fail. Failure may result in a loss of brake lights and an increased risk that the vehicle could be struck in the rear. In addition, a failed brake light switch could prevent shifting the transmission from the park position (vehicles with an automatic transmission). Dealers will replace the brake light switch and install a protective cover over the switch. The recall is expected to begin during October 2007. 07V402

AUGUST 2007 -- Honda is recalling 744 MY 2008 Acura RDX vehicles for failing conform to the requirements of Part 567, 'Certification.' Incorrect certification labels were applied to these vehicles. Some certification labels may not contain the required tire and rim size information. Dealers will remove the incorrect label and install the correct label. The recall is expected to begin during September 2007. 07V-358

NEWS:    Honda recalling 34,300 Fit subcompacts

ConsumerAffaris.com -- August 28, 2008 -- Honda is recalling 34,300 Fit subcompacts from the 2007 and 2008 model years because of a faulty wiring harness connected to the passenger side airbag sensor.

The sensor is designed to prevent the airbags from deploying when a child is seated in the front passenger seat.

Honda will replace the wiring harness.

The recall covers Fits that were sold or registered in 22 U.S. states that use road salt, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

"Salt from the snow on the driver's shoes will melt and may penetrate the carpet and leak into the wire harness," NHTSA reported. "Corrosion may occur and the wire may break, causing the SRS indicator light to illuminate."

A short-circuit, according to NHTSA can cause the front and side airbags to deploy in a crash, even if a child is in the seat.

This "will increase the risk of injury to small or out-of-position occupants," NHTSA reported on its Web site.

The recall covers Honda Fits sold or registered in these states: Connecticut, Delaware, 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 and the District of Columbia.

MORE RECALL INFO:   Honda Fit

NEWS:   Honda recalling 353,000 Accord sedans

Honda recalling 353,000 Accord sedans over corrosion in the windshield wiper motor

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Yahoo News -- April 17, 2008 --  Honda Motor Co. is recalling 353,000 Accord sedans over possible corrosion in the windshield wiper motor.

Honda said Wednesday the recall involves Accords from the 2003 model year. The automaker says water could enter an area near the windshield wiper motor and cause corrosion.

The corrosion could cause the electrical circuit breaker inside the motor area to fail and could prevent the motor from working, potentially leading to a crash.

No injuries or crashes have been attributed to the wiper problem.

Dealers will inspect the windshield wiper motor and install a cover over the motor if no signs of corrosion are present. If there is corrosion, they will replace the motor.

MORE RECALL INFO:   Honda Accord

NEWS:   Honda Recalls Acura TL Sports Sedans for Fire Hazard

Some TLs also recalled to fix windshield wiper

Honda is recalling 273,000 2004 to 2008 ACURA TL sports sedans because power steering fluid may leak, leading to a fire in the engine compartment. The company is also recalling 129,000 2004 to 2005 Acura TL sports sedans, this time because of a windshield wiper problem.

“Prolonged high under-hood temperatures may cause the poser steering hose to deteriorate prematurely causing the hose to crack and leak power steering fluid,” according to the National Highway traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Honda and Acura dealers will install a “new heat resistant power steering hose free of charge,” according to NHTSA.

Wipers
Honda is also recalling 129,600 2004 to 2005 Acura TL sports sedans because the windshield wipers can fail.

“If water enters the windshield wiper motor breather port, which is designed to allow the motor to vent warm air during normal operation, it can result in corrosion inside the motor housing,” the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported on its web site.

“This could cause a failure of the electrical circuit breaker inside the motor housing, NHTSA reported. “If the circuit breaker fails, it will cause the windshield wiper motor to become inoperative, which can increase the likelihood of a crash in certain conditions,” the agency said.

Honda dealers will inspect the windshield wiper motor for signs of corrosion. “A snorkel tube will be added to the wiper motor breather port to prevent water from entering the wiper motors housing and foam tape will be installed on the cowl above the wiper motor to direct water away from the wiper motor,” NHTSA reported.

Should Acura technicians discover signs of corrosion damage to the wiper motor they will replace the motor and install the snorkel tube and foam tape.

NEWS:   Honda Recalls 43,200 Acuras Over Fire Risk From Hose

Dec. 18, 2007 Bloomberg.com -- Honda Motor Co. is recalling 43,200 Acura RL sedans in the U.S. to fix a power steering hose that may crack from engine heat and possibly cause a fire.

The recall by Tokyo-based Honda affects 2005-2008 models, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which posted the information yesterday on its Web site.

The cracked hose can release a volatile fluid onto a hot catalytic converter, leading to a fire, Honda said. The automaker received two reports of fires in Japan, triggering an internal investigation that led to the recall, according to a letter posted on NHTSA's Web site.

Honda began notifying owners yesterday, and dealers will install a heat-resistant hose, according to the letter from....a lawyer with Honda's Torrance, California-based U.S. unit.

The recall in the U.S. follows an earlier recall for the same model in Japan filed to the country's transport ministry on Dec. 6. Honda recalled 8,657 Acuras, known as the Legend in Japan, for the same reason, according to the filing.