Last year was the second highest recall year ever. This year could break the record if the current pace is maintained.
American Honda Motor Company is recalling 36,656 Civic Hybrid vehicles in the U.S. from model years 2006 through 2007 to replace the DC-to-DC converter, a component of the hybrid system.
The latest Honda recall follows a recall on Honda Fit models for engine stalling in February, as well as one in January on thousands of 2010 Honda Accord cars and CR-V sport utility vehicles, which can also suddenly stall, increasing the potential for accidents.
Notification of Civic Hybrid owners is planned to begin March 18, 2011. Honda owners can go to www.recalls.honda.com or call (800) 999-1009, and select option 4.
Toyota or rather the “Toyota Recall Effect” at a newly vigorous National Highway Traffic Safety Administration was the big reason that 2010 was the second highest recall year on record. Three record fines imposed on Toyota by NHTSA for safety defect cover-ups put all automakers on notice to quickly identify and fix problems.
In December of 2010 American Honda recalled:
- 2010-11 Accord and 2011 Pilot vehicles in to prevent a potential front suspension failure
- 1998-2002 Passport SUVs for rear suspension failures
- 2007 and 2008 Honda Fit vehicles because of a bad headlight switch, which can case the low-beams to fail and possibly start a fire
During the rest of 2010 American Honda recalled:
- 2007 and 2008 model year Fit (and Jazz elsewhere) subcompacts for possible fires
- 2006 and 2007 Ridgeline pickup trucks after several of them caught fire
- 2004 through 2008 Acura TSX models for fires
- 2003 Accord models Civic models for rolling away because of a bad ignition switch
- 20003-2004 Element crossover vehicles for rolling away
- 2010 Accord Crosstour for front passenger airbags
- 2007-2008 Odyssey minivans Element crossovers for bad brakes
To be fair, Honda still tops the respected Consumer Reports survey on reliability. And Nissan – the other member of the Japanese Big Three — also recalled millions of vehicles globally during 2010.
But with all of the Japanese recalls consideration of Detroit Three vehicles among potential buyers is rising. It is no longer a given – or it shouldn’t be – among shoppers or government safety officials that the Japanese are automotive quality leaders.
(See also American Honda Recalls 2009-2010 Fit Models for Stalling)
