Honda Issues Recall for Odyssey Minivans Over Airbag Software Glitch
Honda is recalling a significant number of Odyssey minivans due to issues related to airbag deployment stemming from a software programming error. The automaker is pulling back around 440,830 vehicles because this flaw could lead to side airbags deploying unexpectedly when the vehicle encounters minor road imperfections, like speed bumps. This, of course, raises the risk of injury, as reported by Fox Business.
The company noted there have been 130 warranty claims and 25 injuries linked to the problem. The models affected range from 2018 to 2022, produced between late January 2017 and early June 2022. Honda stated that dealerships will fix these defects at no cost to the owners.
As of now, owners can check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website for their vehicle identification number (VIN) to see if their vehicle is impacted. The NHTSA mentioned that, while this recall is mostly precautionary, only about 0.1% of the recalled vehicles are expected to have actual airbag issues. Honda has been notifying dealers about the recall since last Friday, and plans to reach out to car owners on May 25.
Interestingly, safety regulators pointed out that Honda might have been aware of the issue before it was formally reported. According to NHTSA, federal law requires notification of all safety deficiencies within five business days, with potential civil penalties for noncompliance.
Back in June, it was reported that Honda had already recalled around 260,000 vehicles in the U.S. due to issues with brake pedals that could heighten crash risks. Further reports indicated that this latest recall involves specific models, including the 2021-2025 Acura TLX, the 2023-2025 Acura MDX, and the 2023-2025 Honda Pilot. Fortunately, in this case, there have been no reported injuries or deaths linked to the issues addressed by this recall.
It’s worth noting that a few months later, Honda also had to recall more than 400,000 Civics due to the risk of wheel defects, which could potentially lead to wheels detaching while the car is in motion.
