Honda to recall vehicles in US

Recommended 171 times

Recommend it

17 March 2010 at 09:14

Car manufacturing giant Honda will recall more than 410,000 vehicles across the US, it has revealed.

The problem relates to a braking issue that could make vehicles harder to stop if they are not repaired.

In a statement released by the company, it said break pedals can start to feel 'soft' over time, and must be pressed closer to the floor to take effect.

Chris Martin, a spokesman for Honda, warned that if left unrepaired, the problem could lead to crashes.

The company will recall 344,000 Odyssey vehicles and 68,000 Element small trucks that were manufactured between 2007 and 2008.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported three crashes due to the problem, with minor injuries and no deaths. Honda has notified NHTSA of the recall.

Honda has traced the problem to the device that powers the electronic stability control system, which selectively brakes each of the wheels to keep the vehicle upright during an emergency.

When the device, called a 'vehicle stability assist modulator', tests itself as the vehicles are started, it allows a small amount of air into the hydraulic brake lines.

Over time, an air bubble in the lines can cause a loss of braking power and requires that the pedal be pushed further toward the floor than normal to stop the vehicles.

Copyright © Press Association 2010

Links

Vehicle checks - http://www.rac.co.uk/vehiclechecks/

Honda Homepage - http://www.honda.co.uk/