Consumer Reports recently reported that “The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and American Honda have issued a recall of 2009-2011 model year Honda Pilot SUVs for concerns over the sport utility vehicles’ front seat belts.” According to that recall announcement, the “stitching that holds the driver’s and front passenger’s seat belt to their respective anchor webbings may be missing or incomplete.”
Consumer Reports explains that these seatbelt defects may increase the risk of injury during a crash by giving way and allowing the safety restraints to detach from their anchors. According to Consumer Reports, there are approximately 311,000 Honda Pilots on the road that may have this defect. However, the auto manufacturer is careful to note on their website that “No injuries or deaths have been reported related to this condition.”
According to the recall notice from the NTHSA, the affected models were manufactured from March 13, 2008 through August 30, 2011. The auto company recommends that this issue be addressed immediately. Pilot owners are encouraged to bring their vehicles to the nearest Honda dealership as soon as possible. If the defect is found, the dealership will replace the seatbelts free of charge, the NHTSA explains.
The seat belt recall is just one of several recent recalls issued by Honda. CNN Money reports that this recall comes on the heals of a major recall of over 1 million cars by Honda. Part of this massive recall involves “936,000 cars worldwide from its Fit and CR-V lines” and is intended to “replace the master switch for the cars’ power windows.” According the CNN Money report, this recall addresses window cleaner residue which can build up and gradually wear down the electrical contacts of the power window switch, leading to potential fires.
CNN reports that the other portion of this early September recall affects “cars from Honda’s CR-Z compact hybrid line that are equipped with a manual transmission.” According to the news source, a bug in the software can “allow the motor, under some conditions, to rotate in the opposite direction from the transmission’s gear — allowing the car to, for example, roll backwards when the transmission is in forward gear.”
Although the CNN article explains that no injuries have yet been reported for this particular software defect, it explains that the company plans to fix the issue with a software upgrade. According to CNN, “26,000 vehicles worldwide” are affected by this recall, “including 5,626 cars in the United States.”
If you or a loved have been injured as a result of a defective seat belt, power window switch or transmission software glitch in one of the affected Honda models, contact Newsome Law Firm and fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with automobile recalls. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.
References:
CNN Money Staff. (September 5, 2011) “Honda recalls 1 million cars globally.” Retrieved on October 31, 2011 from CNN Money.
Eng, Paul. (September 12, 2011) “Nearly 311,000 Honda Pilot SUVs recalled for front seat belts.” Retrieved on November 2, 2011 from Consumer Reports.
Honda Media Newsroom