Honda Motor today announced safety recalls of the all-new Fit Hybrid and Vezel Hybrid produced in Japan from July 2013 through February 2014 because the software program controlling the 7-speed dual clutch transmission is unsafe.
It is the third recall on this transmission, and part of a growing number of software caused recalls in the industry. Honda claims that each recall was due to a different cause.
With the latest Honda safety defect there could be “a delay in the ability to begin driving or the inability to move at all,” the Japanese automaker said in a statement. Honda told the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of the recall with a total recall population of 81,353 units.
Honda “sincerely regrets causing this considerable inconvenience to its customers due to the fact that the defect was not discovered during the development and product quality verification processes prior to the introduction of a new technology to the market and the defective product quickly came to market. Moreover, despite the fact that all relevant divisions at Honda worked together earnestly to solve this market quality defect, Honda deeply regrets that the effectiveness of the countermeasures was not adequately verified.”
As the remedy, Honda will first check each DCT’s gear change history. For vehicles with a gear change history that indicates the non-engagement of gears, Honda will replace the transmission in order to mitigate against possible damage to internal parts of the DCT and then change the control software program.
For vehicles with a gear change history without non-engagement of gears, it will change the software. Honda is planning to begin installing the new control program on 21 February 2014.
Honda has suspended the delivery of all affected models, currently being produced at Yorii Plant of Saitama Factory and Suzuka Factory, until the installation of the new software program is completed. Moreover, customer delivery of affected models already located at Honda dealerships is stopped until the installation of the new program is completed.
Honda “deeply regrets the considerable inconvenience experienced by its customers and other affected parties less than six months from the introduction of these models. While making exhaustive efforts to prevent the recurrence of the problem, Honda asks customers and other affected parties for their understanding and cooperation at this time.”
