“The seat belt buckle channel for the driver and front passenger seat belts was manufactured out of specification, causing interference between the buckle channel and the release button,” Honda said in its report. “The buckle channel’s surface coating may deteriorate over time and the release button may shrink against the channel at low temperatures, increasing friction.”
The models affected by the recall include some of Honda’s most popular vehicles, including the CR-V and Accord, which were featured on Car and Driver’s Best-Selling Cars of 2022. The models included in the recall are the CR -V between 2017 and 2020, Accord between 2018 and 2019, Accord Hybrid between 2018 and 2019, Odyssey between 2018 and 2020, Acura RDX between 2019 and 2020 and Insight from 2019.
The company said in the report that increased friction can lead to a safety risk.
“If the seat belt buckle does not lock, the occupant may not be properly restrained, increasing the risk of injury to the occupant,” Honda wrote.
Honda received more than 300 warranty claims related to the issue between March 22, 2019 and January 16, 2023, but there were no reports of injuries or fatalities due to the seat belt issue as of earlier this month. March, according to the company.
The Honda recall comes a month after the Japanese automaker recalled more than 114,000 Fit and HR-V vehicles due to an issue with the rear-view camera. A February NHTSA report shows that Honda has ordered a recall of those vehicles with keyed ignitions because the screen may not start and prevent the car from displaying the rear view camera video image. Honda has estimated that 100% of cars potentially have the fault.
Other automakers, such as Toyota and Chevrolet, have recently announced recalls for a variety of reasons, ranging from faulty software to missing or defective parts.
So what’s next for Honda owners affected by the latest recall? The company said in its report to U.S. safety regulators that owners affected by the seat belt issues should expect to be contacted by Honda by mail on April 17. When owners receive notification from Honda, they will be prompted to obtain a free seatbelt buckle. replacement of the assembly at an authorized dealer, according to the company.