Honda Recalls Half-Million Vehicles Due to Seat Belt Latching Issue
Honda is recalling a half-million vehicles in the U.S. and Canada due to an issue with the front seat belt latching.[0] According to Honda's recall notice, the seat belt buckle channel for the driver and front passenger seat belts were manufactured out of specification, causing interference between the buckle channel and the release button.[1] Due to prolonged exposure, the protective coating on the buckle's channel may wear away and the release button may become more difficult to press if temperatures are low, thus increasing the amount of friction present.[1] This can result in issues with the seat belt buckle latching, creating an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.[2]
The recall covers some of Honda's top-selling models including the 2017 through 2020 CR-V, the 2018 and 2019 Accord, the 2018 through 2020 Odyssey, the 2019 Insight, and the Acura RDX from the 2019 and 2020 model years.[3] As needed, dealerships will replace either the release buttons of the front seat belt buckles, or the entire buckle assemblies.[2] Notification letters will be sent out to owners of affected models on April 17.[2]
Honda added that, as of March 2, 2023, the automaker has received 301 warranty claims related to the issue between March 22, 2019, and January 16, 2023, with no reports of injuries or deaths related to this issue.[1]
0. “Honda recalling 500,000 vehicles to fix seat belt problem” WVTM13 Birmingham, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.wvtm13.com/article/honda-recall-seat-belt-problem/43324403
1. “Honda recall impacts CR-V, Accord, Odyssey models: Seatbelt issue” USA TODAY, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2023/03/15/honda-recall-accord-crv-odyssey-seatbelt/11476369002
2. “Honda announces recall of 500,000 vehicles over seat belt problems” MLive.com, 15 Mar. 2023, https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/03/honda-announces-recall-of-500000-vehicles-over-seat-belt-problems.html
3. “Honda Recalling Half a Million Models Due to Seat Belt Issue” WLDS-WEAI News, 15 Mar. 2023, https://wlds.com/honda-recalling-half-a-million-models-due-to-seat-belt-issue/
