Honda Takes Immediate Measures, Recalls 2.5 Million US Vehicles Over Fuel Pump Defect

Dec 22, 2023 12:22 AM EST

RED CAR VEHICLE GLOSSY PARKING — (Photo : PIXABAY/StockSnap)

Due to fuel pump failure issues, Honda Motor's American division is recalling 2.5 million vehicles. Engine stalling can happen driving increases crash risk with this fault. NHTSA stated the urgency of this matter. As a solution, the NHTSA said approved dealers will replace the fuel pump module for free.

Fuel Pump Safety Recall

The recall targets Honda Accord, Civic, CR-V, and HR-V models. Ridgeline, Odyssey, and some Acura automobiles from 2018-2020 are also in the recall list. Affected car owners should receive notifications by February next year.

This development transpired one day following the issuance of a recall by the regulatory agency, affecting roughly 106,030 CR-V hybrid vehicles. This recall concerns crash-related fire or injury from an overheated battery cable or short circuit. Mint reported about this lates issue concerning Honda cars.

At almost the same time, Toyota Motor has initiated a recall encompassing 1 million vehicles within the United States market due to a flaw that may result in airbags failing to activate, thereby heightening the potential for injury.

Honda's Statement

As reported in CNA, the Japanese automaker stated its American unit is recalling around 4.5 million vehicles worldwide over risks of fuel pump failure. The recall concerns the brands' units worldwide. The current recall includes 2.54 million vehicles in U.S. alone.

The same fuel pump issue caused two previous recalls in 2021 and 2020, involving 628,000 and 136,000 vehicles, respectively. Honda recalled machines in China and Japan this month for the same reason.

Honda has committed to repairing the fuel pump module to remedy this severe issue, according to their NHTSA submission. Owners should get recall notifications in early February.

Honda has received 4,042 guarantee claims for this issue since 2018, despite no injuries. At the same time, Acura will recall the ILX, MDX, RDX, RLX, TLX, NSX, Accord, Civic, CR-V, HR-V, Insight, Ridgeline, Odyssey, Passport, and NSX from 2018 to 2020.

It's worth noting that the replacement parts introduced by Honda offer improved density and expanded clearance. Honda recalled 106,030 CR-V hybrid vehicles a day earlier to address concerns of fire or injury in a crash due to an overheated battery cable or short circuit.

Denso's Part to the Recall

Autoevolution provided its two cents regarding the issue. It claimed that Denso appears to have not heeded the costly experience of replacing unreliable fuel pumps. The article mentioned the documented recall number 23V-858 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the most recent Denso-related recall pertains to an astonishing 2,539,902 vehicles manufactured by Honda for the United States market. Among this significant number, it is estimated that at least one percent of these vehicles are equipped with faulty pumps.

Autoevolution continued by saying that under the most favorable circumstances, this amounts to slightly more than 25,000 fuel pump units. If one were to multiply this figure by an average cost of one or two hundred dollars per fuel pump, they would be facing a substantial expenditure.

Much like recalls in previous years, the issue stems from the low-density impeller, which tends to warp over time due to improper molding. In this instance, it will eventually obstruct the fuel pump's functionality by interfering with its internal components.

According to Autoevolution, Honda provides additional details, stating that Denso implemented an enhanced design for the fuel pump assembly in July 2019. The modification added density to impellers and increased space between them and the fuel pump body.

The group of vehicles affected by this issue was manufactured during the period spanning from January 2017 to September 2020, encompassing model years ranging from 2018 to 2020.