Complaints about engine failures affecting up to 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles have prompted an investigation by the U.S. government's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The inquiry includes 2016-2020 Honda Pilot, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2018-2020 Honda Odyssey, 2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline, and 2018-2020 Acura TLX models.
According to documents shared by the agency on Monday, the connecting rod bearings in vehicles with 3.5-liter V6 engines can fail, potentially leading to complete engine failure, the Associated Press reported. The connecting rods link the pistons to the crankshaft and convert vertical motion into power to move the wheels.
The latest probe comes after last year Honda recalled approximately 250,000 vehicles to address the same issue. However, the agency has since received 173 complaints from vehicle owners who reported connecting rod bearing failures, even though their vehicles were not included in the recall. One owner claimed that the issue led to a crash, though no injuries were reported. Dealers of the vehicles in question were instructed to inspect the vehicles and repair or replace the engines as needed.
The agency stated that it is opening a recall inquiry to assess the severity of the issue in vehicles not covered by the 2023 recall. Meanwhile, Honda has promised full cooperation amid the investigation.
Honda is also recalling 18,196 of its 2018-2021 GL1800 Goldwing motorcycles, the NHTSA report said, adding that "the primary drive gear bolt on the crankshaft may break, which can result in an engine stall and lock up the rear wheel."
Recall notification letters are expected to be sent by Dec. 20.
Meanwhile, Honda Cars India announced a recall of 92,672 vehicles across various models to address potential issues in older cars. This includes 90,468 initially identified vehicles and an additional 2,204 that had previously received replacement parts.
The recall is due to defective fuel pump impellers, which could cause the engine to stall or prevent it from starting. Honda reportedly said that it would replace the faulty parts free of charge at authorized dealerships across India.
