Honda has issued a recall for 118,598 examples of the 2019 Honda CR-V crossover with build dates between Oct. 3, 2018 and April 1, 2019. Recalled documents filed with NHTSA showed that Honda confirmed that 100 percent of the vehicles included in the recall carry the defect.
The problem is due to the vehicle's steering system. The metal innards of the recalled vehicles' steering wheels may contain metal burrs. These burrs are capable of causing damage to a wiring sub-harness to the point of a short circuit. If that happens, the controls of the steering wheel might stop working, the airbag light might illuminate, or the airbag itself might inadvertently deploy. The last one represents a major safety hazard.
Honda began its investigation after noticing a new car on the production line with an illuminated warning light. The company and its supplier discovered the root cause and has already provided a solution to prevent it from happening on future parts. As of writing, Honda has received 20 field reports, 41 warranty claims, and three reports of injuries likely caused by this defect.
According to Honda, there may be warning signs ahead of an actual airbag inflation. These can include illumination of the SRS warning light on the dash, the horn sounding unexpectedly, and malfunction of steering wheel-mounted control buttons.
Upon receiving the recalled vehicles, Honda's technicians will replace the cable reel and sub-harness, as well as add a protective cover to the core of the steering wheel. This should eliminate the defect. Owners who had already fixed the problem before the announcement of the recall would have been covered by the factory warranty. Notifications regarding the recall will arrive in July via mail.
"A limited supply of replacement parts and a special tool needed for the recall repair will become available in early June 2019," Honda said in its statement. "More parts are expected to reach dealers in subsequent weeks."
In an unrelated and separated recall, Honda has replaced more than 20 million defective Takata air bags after at least 14 people in the US were killed when the inflators exploded in the vehicles. It is estimated that more than 200 people also suffered injuries related to the defect.
To find out if your vehicle has any open recalls that need to be addressed, you can visit NHTSA's website. If you plug your car's 17-digit vehicle identification number (VIN) into the NHTSA's website and a recall doesn't appear, it means your vehicle doesn't currently have any open recalls. Because automakers issue recalls often, and for many older vehicles, we recommend checking back regularly to see whether your vehicle has had a recall issued.
