Despite being some of the cheapest automobiles on the road, Hondas have a reputation for being some of the safest and most reliable you can find. Because of this as well as appearances in multiple movies, they stay in reasonable demand. Combined, it has kept the company going upward for decades as investors are delighted.
Now, though, they are forced to recall 300k vehicles for missing safety parts. On November 25th-26th, they submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) a report concerning its 2023 and 2024 Accords and HR-Vs. As they write it, “front seat belt pre-tensioners were assembled without a rivet securing the quick connector and wire plate.”
Since the pretensioners tighten the belt upon impact, they may not tighten properly without the rivet. With the rivet missing this means passengers could be improperly restrained during an accident, and this increased the likelihood of injury unless fixed.
In response, the NHTSA claims that the vehicles without them now fail inspection and need to be serviced immediately. Thankfully though, they note that it is only 1% of the 303,770 vehicles that will need replacement parts. Mailing out notices, those who need to have it done can have the replacement done free of charge, and those who paid for it already may be eligible for reimbursement.
Speaking with the Associated Press, a spokesman for Honda acknowledged that most will only need an inspection, and that replacement parts should be in dealer hands before the end of November. Given the number of recalls Honda has had to issue inside of the last 18 months, they have been at risk for crashes and or serious injury left and right as of late.
Earlier this month, 250k Odysseys, Pilots, Acuras, and Ridgelines were recalled. Engine bearings were at risk of stalling and causing catastrophic accidents, fire, and injury. Then back in the summer 1.2 million vehicles, including the Pilot and Odyssey, were recalled over failed backup cameras.
