— Honda CR-V and HR-V SUVs equipped with all-wheel-drive suffer from locked-up wheels after the driveshafts break and the rear differentials are damaged.
The problems were enough to get the attention of federal safety regulators who opened an investigation in late 2022.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration investigation involves about 1.7 million 2018-2022 Honda CR-V and HR-V SUVs.
No consumer complaints have been filed with the government, but NHTSA reviewed field reports and requested information from Honda.
Some of the field reports claimed the wheels locked up with no warning while driving, and dealers found broken driveshafts and ruined differential units. Dealers said damaged oil seals allowed oil to leak which caused the problems.
Honda says it knows of at least 1,201 incidents.
The oil lubricates the components, and once the oil leaks the rear differential will fail. Honda found the "oil seal’s lip contact with the driveshaft may become unstable due to intermittent changes in internal pressure."
In November 2021, Honda changed the seals and how they were packaged and transported. In addition, inspection procedures were enhanced to check the oil seal installations on assembly lines.
Honda says failures occur early in the life of a CR-V or HR-V and are covered by the warranty.
A driver allegedly doesn't lose stability even if a rear differential fails, and the vehicle will still function in two-wheel-drive if the driveshaft breaks.
NHTSA closed the Honda rear differential investigation without requesting a recall, but this could change if the circumstances change.