American Honda Motor (7267.T) is recalling ~295,000 model year 2022-2025 Acura MDX Type-S, 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, and 2021-2025 Acura TLX Type-S vehicles. A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power.
In the required filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Honda said: “Due to improper programming of the fuel injection electronic control unit settings, sudden changes in the throttle opening could cause the MIL [Malfunction Indicator Light] to illuminate and/or the engine to lose drive power, hesitate and/or stall.”
“Denso, the supplier of the FI-ECU, informed Honda the settings for the correction control logic of the air flow rate and fuel injection volume were improper. Due to the improper settings, certain driving conditions could cause a torque control failure to be detected and stall the engine,” Honda said.
Chronology
- December 8, 2023: Honda observed a trend of increased torque monitor data from telematics information and began to investigate the issue.
- April 17, 2024: Denso notified Honda of a potential on-board diagnostics (OBD) issue.
- June 6, 2024: Honda analyzed the information available and continued to investigate the issue.
- July 15, 2024: Honda continued to investigate and monitor the issue for potential symptoms other than the already identified OBD issue.
- August 1, 2024: Honda continued to monitor the issue.
- December 16, 2024: Honda concluded monitoring the issue for other potential symptoms and analyzed the information gathered.
- January 9, 2025: Honda identified engine stalling as a potential outcome through its analysis.
- January 16, 2025: Honda determined that a defect related to motor vehicle safety existed and decided to conduct a safety recall.
- As of January 16, 2025, Honda has received 674 warranty claims and no reports of injuries or crashes related to this safety defect from December 9, 2020, to January 16, 2025.
Dealers will reprogram the FI-ECU software free of charge as require by law. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed 17 March 2025. Owners may contact Honda’s customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda’s numbers for this recall are EL1 and AL0. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to nhtsa.gov about NHTSA recall 25V031.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Software Recall for Honda Pilot, Acura MDX, TLX
American Honda Motor (7267.T) is recalling ~295,000 model year 2022-2025 Acura MDX Type-S, 2023-2025 Honda Pilot, and 2021-2025 Acura TLX Type-S vehicles. A software error in the fuel injection electronic control unit (FI-ECU) may cause an engine stall or a loss of power.
In the required filing with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Honda said: “Due to improper programming of the fuel injection electronic control unit settings, sudden changes in the throttle opening could cause the MIL [Malfunction Indicator Light] to illuminate and/or the engine to lose drive power, hesitate and/or stall.”
“Denso, the supplier of the FI-ECU, informed Honda the settings for the correction control logic of the air flow rate and fuel injection volume were improper. Due to the improper settings, certain driving conditions could cause a torque control failure to be detected and stall the engine,” Honda said.
Chronology
Dealers will reprogram the FI-ECU software free of charge as require by law. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed 17 March 2025. Owners may contact Honda’s customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda’s numbers for this recall are EL1 and AL0. Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or go to nhtsa.gov about NHTSA recall 25V031.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.