The NHTSA is Looking Into Unintended Emergency Brake Activation On Almost Three Million Hondas
Honda is facing an NHTSA investigation looking at almost three million vehicles to review safety issues with unexpected emergency braking system activation. The agency opened a preliminary investigation in 2022 after receiving reports related to the Honda Accord and CR-V.
The NHTSA is aware of 1,294 reports of “sudden vehicle deceleration,” with 50 reported injuries and 31 crashes. Its probe has expanded to include 2020-2022 Honda Accords and CR-Vs, increasing the number of affected vehicles from 1.7 million to almost three.
While the term investigation sounds serious – and it is – it’s only one step in the process. If it progresses, the NHTSA could start an engineering analysis to determine if there’s a safety defect, which would then lead to a recall request to Honda if one exists. Most parking brakes now are electronic, so it’s unclear if the problem relates to a hardware or software issue, which would dictate how complicated any proposed fix would be.
The Honda Accord has been remarkably recall-free in recent years. The 2022 model only has two open recalls at the moment, including one for the airbag unintentionally deploying during a crash and the other for unintended vehicle movement from a potential brake fluid leak. The CR-V has had even fewer, with the 2022 model’s only recall coming due to incorrect labeling of the vehicle’s gross axle weight rating, gross vehicle weight rating, and tire sizing.
[Image: Honda]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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Automatic braking scares me. I have had the Object Ahead!!! warning-light come on because the pavement ahead changed color. (ie concrete to asphalt or such) If the car had auto-braking it would have been four wheel lockup (except for the antilock)
It kicked on one time for me when a car abruptly turned into my lane. Worked as advertised. I was already about to lean into the brake as I was into the horn.
I had this happen numerous times with my former Accord. It usually occurred when on a slow right curve in the road. Somehow the system would get confused and think the opposite lane (oncoming traffic) was an impending head-on collision.
I'm sure this won't matter to the millions of deceived Honduh owners who think the company that once prided itself on quality has somehow slipped in the real world. Same for Toyoduhs. Resting on our Laurel's - Oh, what a feeling!