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

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

NEWS:    Honda recalls 440,000 cars for airbag risk

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.

Honda said that the airbag inflators in some of its top-selling sedans can rupture because of too much air pressure causing metal fragments to shoot through the airbag and strike vehicle occupants.

One fatality and a number of injuries have been linked to the defect, Honda spokesman Sage Marie said.

The recall covers certain 2001 and 2002 Accords, 2001 Civics and some 2002 and 2003 model Acura TL sedans. The driver's side airbag is the defective component on the affected vehicles

Honda said owners of those models can check to see if their vehicle is covered by the recall by checking the automaker's website at www.owners.honda.com/recalls.

The Japanese automaker said it was encouraging owners to wait until they received a recall notice to go to a dealership and have the inflator for the steering-wheel airbag replaced.

Honda had originally announced that it would recall some 2001 Accord and Civic sedans for the defect last November.

The notice issued on Friday added another 440,000 vehicles to the recall.

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 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

NEWS:   Honda Recalls Acura TL Sports Sedans for Fire Hazard

Some TLs also recalled to fix windshield wiper

ConsumerAffairs.com -- March 3, 2008 -- 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:    Engine problems force Honda recall

WASHINGTON - March 19, 2007 - Honda Motor Corp. said Monday that it was recalling about 165,000 vehicles from the 2005-06 model years in the United States to deal with potential engine problems

Honda said the recall affected 2005 models of the Acura RL, TL and TSX sedans, 2005 Honda Accord coupes, sedans and hybrids, 2005 Odyssey minivans and 2006 Ridgeline trucks.

The move is part of a global recall because of similar problems, said Honda spokesman Chris Martin. Details on the total number of vehicles and the number of countries where the vehicles were sold were not immediately available, he said.

Martin said the automaker discovered that sealer material leaked onto a coil wire inside the fuel pump relay on some of the vehicles. The wire can become brittle and snap, causing the engine to stall or fail to start.