Over the years, Honda has made a name with its reliable and durable fleet of cars. The brand is also renowned for its adherence to safety standards. In a recent twist of events, Honda needed to recall 500,000 cars because of seat belt issues.
Out of concern for its customers, Honda has decided to recall some of its top-selling models. The brand believes that seat belt issues would compromise the safety of vehicle riders. Hence, the decision to call back the cars. Let’s dive into details about the cars affected, the seat belt issue, and Honda’s statement conerning the seat belt issue.
Honda’s Statement About The Seat Belt Issue
On March 9, Honda filed a report to the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). In the report, Honda stated that 448,613 cars were affected by seat belt issues. According to the company, one percent of the recalled cars have seat belt issues.
Honda mentioned that the seat belt buckle channel for the driver and front passenger seat belts were manufactured out of specification. This resulted in an interference between the buckle channel and the release button.
Further in the report, Honda mentioned that the buckle channel surface might deteriorate over time. Additionally, the release button may shrink against the belt buckle channel at low temperatures. Consequently, increasing friction.
According to Honda, this increased friction could lead to a security risk. In their words, “If the seat belt buckle does not latch, the occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant,”
Reports state that Honda received more than 300 warranty claims between March 22, 2019, and January 16, 2023. Interestingly, all these 300 claims were because of seat belt-related issues. However, the company claims that none of these claims contained reports of death and injuries.
Vehicles Affected By The Seat Belt Issue
Interestingly, the seat belt issue affects some of Honda’s best-selling and most popular cars. One such vehicle is the Honda CR-V.
The Honda CR-V is an incredible all-wheel drive that aids drivers in achieving a smooth ride. Its luxurious interior is nothing like the rugged exterior of the car. CR-V is fitted with a multi-angle rearview camera. Hence, enabling you to select three different camera angles.
Additionally, the vehicle has rain-sensing windshield wipers. Unfortunately, the CR-V also needed to be recalled because of the seat belt challenge.
The Accord hybrid was not excluded from the vehicle recall. The hybrid car features the honda two-motor hybrid system. It has excellent EPA fuel-economy ratings. Hence, it reduces the amount you would need to spend on fuel. Also, the hybrid car employs Vehicle Stability Assist and the Advanced compatibility engineering body structure.
Despite the top-notch security mechanisms employed in the Honda Hybrid, it was also affected by the seat belt issue. Other vehicles affected by the seat belt issue include the 2018 through 2020 Odyssey and the 2019 Insight. The seat belt challenge also affected the 2019 and 2020 models of the Acura RDX.
Other Recalls Asides from The Seat Belt Challenge
Prior to seat belts, Honda needed to make recalls because of the backup camera for some cars. One month ago, Honda recalled about 114,000 Fit and HR-V vehicles. According to a February NHTSA report, Honda recalled some of the vehicles with key ignitions.
According to the brand, the display of those vehicles might fail to boot up. Consequently, hindering the car from displaying the video image from the backup camera. Based on projections of Honda, about 100 percent of the cars have the potential to experience defects.
Aside from Honda, other car brands have recently needed to make recalls. Toyota and Chevrolet have needed to make recalls because of issues ranging from faulty software to faulty and missing parts.
Amidst the recall, Honda has notified affected vehicle car owners to expect a recall mail on April 17. After receiving the mail, they will be directed to get a free seat belt buckle assembly replacement from authorized dealers.
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