Honda Faces Major Recall Crisis
Another Issue Emerges Recently
This Time, It’s a Flaw in New Models
Honda, long known for its reputation for quality and reliability, faces a wave of recalls raising serious questions about its manufacturing and design processes. Following in the footsteps of fellow Japanese automakers like Toyota, Mazda, and Suzuki—who have all faced quality control controversies—Honda is now grappling with a large-scale recall of its latest models due to design defects.
On October 9, Honda stunned the market by recalling 1.7 million vehicles in the U.S. over issues with steering components. Just days later, reports emerged of an additional recall affecting hundreds of thousands of vehicles due to a separate issue.
Fuel Leak and Fire Risk Prompts Recall of 720,000 Vehicles
On October 15, U.S. automotive media outlets, including Motor1 and Carscoops, reported that Honda is recalling 720,000 vehicles from model years 2023 to 2025. This recall includes the 2023–2024 Accord and Accord Hybrid, the 2023–2025 CR-V Hybrid, and the 2025 Civic Sedan and Civic Hatchback.
The issue stems from a defect in the high-pressure fuel pump, which may develop cracks over time, leading to potential fuel leaks and a fire risk. While no accidents have been reported so far, Honda will begin notifying affected vehicle owners in December, advising them to bring their cars in for repairs.
CR-V Hybrid Also Hit by Recall Over Battery Fire Risk
Meanwhile, the previous generation Honda CR-V was recalled due to another issue. This is because some 2023 CR-V hybrid models have been found to have a fire risk. According to Honda, the lithium-ion batteries installed in the vehicles in question have a manufacturing process issue that may cause the internal terminals of the battery to fail. It is said that Panasonic, which is in charge of manufacturing and supplying the battery pack, found out about this and informed Honda.
According to Honda, if this problem occurs while driving, the vehicle can become inoperable, and in the worst case, it can cause a fire by igniting. Fortunately, the recall is relatively small. Only 98 CR-V hybrids produced between October 6, 2022, and January 24, 2023 are being recalled.
Potentially Larger Recall Looms: 3 Million Vehicles Under Investigation
Honda may face even more significant challenges as the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) continues investigating the company’s automatic emergency braking systems. Since April, NHTSA has been investigating a series of 31 crashes and 58 injuries related to faulty braking systems in approximately 3 million Honda vehicles, including the Accord and CR-V.
With the ongoing investigation, whether this will result in another massive recall remains to be seen. However, the growing list of safety concerns could significantly impact Honda’s reputation, mainly as it competes with other leading Japanese automakers like Toyota and Nissan.
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