Honda has issued a recall for certain vehicles, including the Odyssey minivan and RDX crossover, due to improperly tightened steering gearbox assemblies. Approximately 186 vehicles are potentially affected by this issue, prompting Honda and Acura to take corrective action.
The affected minivans were manufactured between August 11, 2023, and October 26, 2023, at the Honda Manufacturing of Alabama plant, while the affected crossovers were produced at the East Liberty Auto Plant in Ohio between September 23, 2023, and September 25, 2023. These vehicles are equipped with electric power steering racks bearing specific part numbers.
Supplied by JTEKT Automotive North America, the steering gearbox assemblies in question may have cross-threaded bolts due to a change in the fastening process.
Documents from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reveal that a switch from a torque wrench to a torque gun, along with improper rotation angle settings, contributed to this issue.
Honda’s investigation determined that JTEKT also omitted a manual temporary start step from the fastening procedure. However, corrective measures have been implemented, including reinstating the manual step and reverting to the correct fastening tool with the appropriate rotation angle setting.
Authorized dealers will repair the faulty steering racks on the affected cars, and the owners will be notified by mail. Gear binding is a safety concern connected to this issue, highlighting how urgent it is to solve the issue.