Nearly a quarter of a million cars, trucks, minivans, and SUVs are being recalled by Honda's U.S. division and its upscale Acura brand due to the discovery that the engines in those vehicles may seize due to a poorly designed crankshaft.
According to correspondence between the NHTSA and American Honda, certain crankshafts may have been constructed with the wrong rod journal specifications as a result of a manufacturing error that happened during crankshaft production. The shaky journals may lead to a lubricant shortage, which could ultimately result in engine damage or even a total seizure.
"If the connecting rod bearing seizes, the engine can be damaged and run improperly, stall, stop while driving, and/or not start, increasing the risk of a fire, crash or injury," according to the report released by the NHTSA.
The recall affects 248,999 vehicles in total; although it's not the largest recall we've covered this year, dealer technicians will undoubtedly be busy fixing them.
2018–19 Honda Odyssey, 2016–19 Honda Pilot, 2017–2019 Honda Ridgeline, 2015–20 Acura TLX, and 2016–20 Acura MDX are the vehicles that are impacted. The NHTSA recall notice does not list the specific powertrains that are impacted, but the 3.5-liter V6 engine produced in the United States by Honda is the only engine that all five of the affected vehicles have in common.
Honda has received 1,450 warranty claims since it first learned about the issue in 2020. However, owners will be informed beginning in January of next year and requested to bring their cars to a dealership for an examination. In the event that the motor is judged to be subpar, it will either be completely replaced or repaired with a crank that is ground to specification.