The recall concerns an omitted component in the frontal seat belt pretensioners.
ByThe Associated Press
November 25, 2023, 11:47 AM
FILE – Individuals stroll past Honda Motor Company’s emblem at an exhibit space Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, in Tokyo. Honda is issuing a recall for several hundred thousand Accords and HR-Vs from the 2023-2024 model years on Saturday, Nov. 25, 2023, owing to an absent component in the front seat belt pretensioners that could heighten the likelihood of injuries in the event of a collision. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
The Associated Press
NEW YORK — Honda is initiating a recall of select 2023-2024 Accord and HR-V vehicles because of an absent component in the front seat belt pretensioners that may escalate the hazard of injury during an accident.
Notices from Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued earlier in the week indicate the pretensioners — devices that secure seat belts tightly when a crash occurs — may lack the rivet essential for holding the quick connector and wire plate in place. This deficiency means passengers could potentially be insufficiently restrained in the event of a crash, as noted by regulators.
The oversight leading to the issue was attributed to a manufacturing error. There is a potential impact on more than 300,000 Accords and HR-Vs.
As of Nov. 16, Honda reported seven warranty claims related to this issue, however, there have been no reported injuries or fatalities due to the defective pretensioners as outlined in documents by the NHTSA.
Affected consumers will have their vehicles inspected by dealers, and if necessary, the seat belt pretensioner assembly will be swapped out at no charge. Eligibility for reimbursement may also be available for individuals who have previously covered these repairs out-of-pocket.
Honda approximates that a replacement will be necessary for less than 1% of the vehicles implicated by the recall. A mere inspection is projected to suffice for the overwhelming majority, a representative from Honda revealed to The Associated Press on Saturday.
Commencing Jan. 8, 2024, owners of the implicated vehicles will receive notification letters by mail. The Honda spokesperson also noted that although replacement components should be accessible to dealers by month’s end, consumers are encouraged to approach an authorized Honda dealer for the inspection immediately.
To learn more about the recall, consumers may consult the NHTSA website along with Honda’s own online recall information pages.
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This narrative makes corrected references to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.