Honda recalls 564,000 CR-Vs over rust concerns
Honda is recalling nearly 564,000 of its older model CR-V sport utility vehicles because road salt can cause the frame to rust and rear suspension parts to come loose.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in documents posted Thursday that salt can accumulate and cause corrosion in CR-Vs made between 2007 and 2011, potentially causing the rear trailing arm to detach. That can cause drivers to lose control, increasing the risk of a crash. Rear trailing arms connect the rear axle to the chassis.
The recalled CR-Vs were either sold or registered in "salt-belt states where de-icing agents are used to maintain the roadway," NHTSA said. Dealers will inspect the SUVs and install a support brace or repair the rear frame if needed. If the frame is badly damaged, Honda may offer to buy the vehicle. Owners will be notified by letter starting May 8.
The CR-Vs have already been recalled in Canada. Honda said in documents filed to NHTSA that it has 61 customer complaints in the U.S. but no deaths or injuries.
CR-V owners who already paid to have corrosion repaired are eligible to have those costs reimbursed. Owners with questions can contact Honda at 1-888-234-2138 or NHTSA at 1-888-327-4236.
The CR-V recall comes just weeks after Honda issued a recall on side-view mirrors. The Japanese automaker recalled more than 330,000 vehicles last month because heating pads behind both side-view mirrors on some vehicles may not be bonded properly, which could lead to the mirror glass falling out and increase the risk of a crash.
In that recall, the vehicles included the 2020-2022 Odyssey, 2020-2022 Passport, 2020-2021 Pilot and 2020-2021 Ridgeline. NHTSA officials said last month that those vehicles don't comply with the necessary rear visibility requirements. Honda dealers said they will replace the side-view mirrors on impacted vehicles for free.
The company also recalled a half million vehicles in March, including Accords, Odysseys and Insights, because the front seat belts may not latch properly.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.