A recall has just been announced for a large number of Honda and Acura trucks and SUVs. According to documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), upwards of 880,514 cars are impacted. As of now, the 2017 to 2023 Honda Ridgeline, the 2016-2022 Honda Pilot, the 2019 to 2023 Honda Passport, and 2014 to 2020 Acura MDX.
Reportedly, there are issues with the rear suspension assembly failing prematurely due to corrosion from de-icing agents on roadways. The paperwork states: “improper coating specifications may result in insufficient paint adhesion and premature paint peeling near the arm bracket weld area. In regions where de-icing salt is heavily used, the exposed area may corrode prematurely. As the corrosion progresses, material thinning and driving vibrations could cause the mounting area to fracture and fail.”
As such, the NHTSA notes that the recall is specific to states perform use de-icing procedures on the road. Those states are: Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland,
Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio,
Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Washington D.C., and Wisconsin.
Honda’s recall is linked to premature corrosion from road salt
Fortunately, there is already a fix in place as reported by a Honda service bulletin. If your car is affected by the recall (you can check through the NHTSA’s tool or directly with Honda), you can schedule an appointment to get your car worked on where Honda will install a rear subframe reinforcement kit. In another stroke of good news, no newer Honda vehicles seem to be affected and no injuries or crashed have been reported. As with all safety-related recalls, the fix is free.
If you live in a state where where roads are salted, or you bought a car (not just a Honda) from a state where that takes place, it’s always worth taking an extra look at suspension components that might get covered in road salt, leading to premature corrosion. It will be worth it in the long run to keep your car nice and clean after the snow and salt are gone.
Stephan is the sports journalist for the Maple Grove Report.
