Honda is facing an NHTSA investigation looking at almost three million vehicles to review safety issues with unexpected emergency braking system activation. The agency opened a preliminary investigation in 2022 after receiving reports related to the Honda Accord and CR-V.
The NHTSA is aware of 1,294 reports of “sudden vehicle deceleration,” with 50 reported injuries and 31 crashes. Its probe has expanded to include 2020-2022 Honda Accords and CR-Vs, increasing the number of affected vehicles from 1.7 million to almost three.
While the term investigation sounds serious – and it is – it’s only one step in the process. If it progresses, the NHTSA could start an engineering analysis to determine if there’s a safety defect, which would then lead to a recall request to Honda if one exists. Most parking brakes now are electronic, so it’s unclear if the problem relates to a hardware or software issue, which would dictate how complicated any proposed fix would be.
The Honda Accord has been remarkably recall-free in recent years. The 2022 model only has two open recalls at the moment, including one for the airbag unintentionally deploying during a crash and the other for unintended vehicle movement from a potential brake fluid leak. The CR-V has had even fewer, with the 2022 model’s only recall coming due to incorrect labeling of the vehicle’s gross axle weight rating, gross vehicle weight rating, and tire sizing.
[Image: Honda]
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