American Honda Motor Co. has identified a manufacturing issue affecting the 2023 model year Passport and Ridgeline. Specifically, the inner ball joint housing may have been fastened below the correct torque specification, which could result in detachment from the steering rack while driving.
A total of 245 vehicles were produced with the suspect steering gearbox assemblies, supplied by NSK Steering Systems Americas of Tennessee, under part number 53400-T6Z-A010-M1.
The cause of this issue was discovered through documents published by the federal watchdog, revealing lapses in maintenance of the steering gearbox workbench at the Honda Alabama plant.
The investigation found that improper maintenance led to the steering gearbox being incorrectly secured to the workbench, triggering an alarm during the tightening procedure. To circumvent the alarm, an operator applied the torque wrench to the torque analyzer instead of directly to the part itself.
To address this issue, Honda has instructed dealers to replace the affected steering gearboxes with properly assembled units. NSK Steering Systems Americas has taken corrective actions, including immediate repair of the steering gearbox workbench, implementation of pre-shift inspections, and enhanced training for operators.
Affected owners of Ridgeline and Passport vehicles will receive recall notifications via first-class mail around April 15. Owners can also verify if their vehicles are included in the recall by entering the 17-character VIN on Honda’s website.
