Honda Recalls Nearly 100K Cars from 13 Model Lines over Airbag Issue
Honda issued a recall for 98,892 vehicles because the front passenger seat weight sensor may crack, which can cause the airbags to deploy unintentionally in a crash. The recall affects 13 model lines, including the Acura TLX, RDX, MDX, as well as the Honda Ridgeline, Pilot, Passport, Odyssey, Insight, HR-V, CR-V, Fit, Civic, and Accord. Honda dealers will replace the weight sensor free of charge, with the automaker planning to notify affected owners starting on July 6. Honda issued a recall that affects nearly 100,000 vehicles across more than a dozen model lines. The recall, which stems from front passenger airbags that could deploy unintentionally, covers 98,892 vehicles between the Honda and Acura lineup. The list includes the Acura TLX, RDX, and MDX, as well as the Honda Ridgeline, Pilot, Passport, Odyssey, Insight, HR-V, CR-V, Fit, Civic, and Accord. The affected vehicles span a wide range of model years, with the oldest dating back to 2016 and the newest from 2026. Michael Simari|Car and DriverAccording to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the issue stems from a capacitor in the printed circuit board of the front passenger seat weight sensor. The NHTSA documents report that the sensor may crack, which can lead to an internal short circuit if exposed to external humidity.If the sensor does crack, the front passenger's frontal and knee airbags may deploy despite the presence of an infant in a car seat, a child, or a person small enough to sustain injury from the full force of the airbags. According to the related documents, the defect was caused by a change in the base material used in the printed circuit board. The alternative base material may allow additional strain to the circuit board, which can lead to the capacitor cracking. The recall covers an expanded population of vehicles, up from an original population that was determined as part of a 2024 recall. According to NHTSA, the expansion comes down to three issues: an error by the supplier in calculating the production end date for the defective part, the use of inaccurate data in correlating defective parts to the corresponding vehicle population, and inadequate verification processes in confirming which vehicles were affected by the defective parts. As a remedy, Honda dealers will replace the weight sensor with a non-defective version built with the original base material. The automaker will notify affected owners by mail, starting on July 6. Owners concerned that their vehicle may be involved in the recall can check on the NHTSA recalls site. Jack Fitzgerald’s love for cars stems from his as yet unshakable addiction to Formula 1. After a brief stint as a detailer for a local dealership group in college, he knew he needed a more permanent way to drive all the new cars he couldn’t afford and decided to pursue a career in auto writing. By hounding his college professors at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, he was able to travel Wisconsin seeking out stories in the auto world before landing his dream job at Car and Driver. His new goal is to delay the inevitable demise of his 2010 Volkswagen Golf.
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