Honda is recalling another 820,000 vehicles, including this 2002 Civic, for a problem with their headlights.
Honda is recalling 820,000 older Civic compacts and Pilot SUVs because of a wiring problem that can cause headlights to fail.
It’s the latest in a mounting series of safety-related problems for the maker which, in 2011, suffered more recalled vehicles than any other manufacturer on the U.S. market – and comes just days after Honda was forced to recall 625,000 Accord and Acura TL sedans because of a potential fire hazard.
The latest recall also comes on top of the 550,000 CR-V and Pilot crossovers recalled earlier this year due to the same headlight issue.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, wires connecting a switch controlling the headlamps and turn signals can inadvertently overheat and melt. If that happens, the low-beam headlamps will stop working.
The problem impacts Civic models built in 2002 and 2003 and Pilots produced in 2004 and 2005. Honda had already recalled Pilots from the 2003 model-year, as well as CR-V produced between 2002 and 2004.
Due to the increased use of common componentry, manufacturers often are facing multi-year recall spreading over a variety of models.
On Monday, Honda recalled 573,417 Accord and Acura TL sedans because of potentially defective power steering hoses that could create a fire hazard if fluid leaks onto hot engine components. That recall came as an expansion of an earlier service action involving 52,613 Accords for the same problem.
Honda, though known for its reliability, was forced to recall more vehicles in 2011 than any other manufacturer in the U.S. market and, with the two safety actions this week is firmly on a path to claim that dubious honor again for 2012.
Owners can find out more about this week’s two recalls by contacting Honda at 800-999-1009 or NHTSA through its vehicle safety hotline at 888-327-4236.