HONDA RECALLS THOUSANDS OF VEHICLES OVER FAULTY SENSOR
In a shocking turn of events, Honda has issued a massive recall for thousands of vehicles in the United States market. The root cause of the recall is a faulty front passenger seat weight sensor, which has been found to have a printed circuit board with a potential crack. This crack can lead to a dangerous short circuit, putting the safety of passengers at risk.
The sensor in question was produced by Aisin Electronics Illinois, a subsidiary of the Aisin Corporation. Aisin Electronics Illinois had changed the base material in the printed circuit board due to a natural disaster at one of its manufacturing plants. However, this change in material has been found to cause additional strain on the circuit board, resulting in the capacitor malfunctioning.
If the sensor fails, the SRS warning light will illuminate and the passenger airbag indicator will remain off. This poses a serious safety concern, as the airbag may not deploy properly in the event of an accident. To address this issue, Honda is recalling two sensor assemblies with part numbers 81167-T2F-L012-M1 and 81168-T2F-L012-M1.
The first warranty claim over this problem was received by Honda in August 2020. Initially, Honda and Aisin Electronics Illinois conducted an investigation but found no defects. However, as more warranty claims continued to pour in, the investigation was resumed. It was then discovered that the faulty sensors were the result of the base material change in the printed circuit board.
American Honda Motor Co. has been made aware of a total of 3,834 claims related to this issue. These claims were filed between June 13, 2020 and January 19, 2024. To rectify the problem, Honda will be replacing the faulty circuit boards with new ones made with the correct base material. Vehicles produced on and after January 7, 2022 already feature the updated circuit boards.
Owners of affected vehicles will be notified by mail no later than March 18, 2024. In the meantime, owners can check if their vehicles are part of the recall by entering their VIN on Honda’s website or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website. The recall affects a total of 13 nameplates, including popular models like the Acura TLX, RDX, MDX, and various Honda models such as the Ridgeline, Passport, Pilot, Odyssey, Insight, HR-V, Fit, CR-V, Civic, and Accord.
If you own one of the recalled vehicles, it is crucial to contact your nearest dealership as soon as possible. They will provide information on parts availability and help schedule an appointment to address the issue. Your safety and the safety of others on the road should be the top priority.
