Honda has announced a massive recall of half a million vehicles over a seat belt issue.
The company says front seat belts in affected models might not latch properly, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.
"The seat belt buckle channel for the driver and front passenger seat belts were manufactured out of specification, causing interference between the buckle channel and the release button," the company said in documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
"With continuous use, the buckle channel surface coating may deteriorate over time, and the release button may shrink against the channel at low temperatures, increasing friction," the company added. "This can result in issues with the seat belt buckle latching."
Models affected by the recall include:
• Honda CR-V, model years 2017-2020
• Honda Accord, model years 2018-2019
• Honda Accord Hybrid, model years 2018-2019
• Honda Odyssey, model years 2018-2020
• Honda Insight, model year 2019
• Acura RDX, model years 2019-2020
Honda said no injuries associated with the defect have been reported. The company has received 301 warranty claims related to the issue.
The problem stretches back to June 2019, when Honda first observed a potential trend in seat belt buckle latching issues and launched an investigation, according to the NHTSA. In November 2019, parts durability testing revealed that low temperatures caused contraction in the seat belt buckle channel and over time, led to durability issues.
The company continued to analyze the issue and a began in-market investigations to determine the scope of issue in July 2020. Honda began testing samples for evaluation in February 2021. By December 2022, testing and data analysis indicated that durability concerns may have a larger scope, the NHTSA said.
Earlier this month, Honda determined that a safety defect involving the seat belts existed and decided to conduct a recall.
Affected owners will be notified by letter starting April 17th. Dealers will replace or repair the defect for free.
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