Topline
Honda is recalling hundreds of thousands of trucks and SUVs, including over 463,000 Honda Pilots, over a problem that could cause the vehicles’ rear subframes to corrode and cause drivers to lose control, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said.
A problem with the vehicles’ rear suspension could cause components to corrode, which could cause problems for drivers.
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Key Facts
A total of 880,514 vehicles are impacted by the recall, the NHTSA said in a notice, which also include 2017-2023 Honda Ridgelines, 2019-2023 Honda Passports and 2014-2020 Acura MDXs.
More than half of the vehicles facing the recall are Honda Pilots, the manufacturer’s midsize SUV, with the model dates 2016 through 2022, according to a recall report.
The impacted vehicles were sold in 22 states: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin, as well as the District of Columbia.
According to the NHTSA, these vehicles have rear subframes that could corrode at mounting points, causing suspension components like the rear control arm to fail and put the driver at risk for losing control of the vehicle.
There have been no reports of deaths, injuries or warranty claims related to the subframes as of May.
Surprising Fact
All of the vehicles impacted by the recall were sold in the so-called “salt belt,” the region of the U.S. where roadways are frequently treated with de-icing salt during the winter months. Some of the vehicles sold might face “premature paint peeling,” an NHTSA recall report found, which could cause premature corrosion in regions that rely heavily on road salt. Drivers of impacted vehicles should watch for “abnormal noise or vibration” coming from their rear suspensions as a warning sign for a potentially corroding subframe, the NHTSA said, and monitor changes in how their vehicle handles.
What to Watch For
Notification letters for owners of impacted vehicles are expected to be mailed by July 7, the NHTSA said. Owners will then be asked to take their vehicles to authorized Honda or Acura dealers to install a reinforcement kit and repair or replace any damaged components.