High under-hood and power steering fluid temperatures can cause the power steering hose cracks and leaks.
Honda is expanding an Acura recall for defective power steering hoses that can cause fires to a combined total of more than 625,000 vehicles, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filing revealed today. This is an additional recall for defective power steering hoses since the initial Acura one last May. Affected are 2007-2008 Acura TL models and now, far more numerous, 2003-2007 Accord V6-powered cars. Honda in Japan, after a long analysis, decided to recall the Accords after a fire was reported by a U.S. Honda dealer in early June. All told, more than 1.1 million Acura and Honda vehicles are now subject to recall or service bulletins during the last five years for the same problem, including other TL, TSX and RL models.
However, parts are not yet available for the newly recalled Accord. Owners will have to wait until early 2013 because the replacement parts are different from the Acura models. The supplier was not identified, but Honda said a more durable material would be used going forward.
In the required NHTSA safety defect report, Honda said that prolonged under-hood and power steering fluid temperatures might cause the power steering hose to crack and leak, possibly onto a hot catalytic converter, leading to smoke and possibly an under-hood fire.
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will install a new heat resistant power steering hose, free of charge, as is required by U.S. safety regulations. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-800-999-1009.
See AutoInformed: Acura Recalls TL Sedans for a Bad Power Steering Hose
