— Acura and Honda driveshaft problems have caused a recall of 210,000 of these vehicles if they were originally sold or ever registered in certain salt-belt areas.
- 2013-2015 Acura ILX
- 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid
- 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid
- 2007-2004 Honda Fit
The vehicles are recalled in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin.
A corroded driveshaft could break and the engine will no longer propel the vehicle in any gear. The vehicle may also roll away if the parking brake has not been engaged.
Honda received a report in November 2017 about a busted Acura ILX driveshaft and in February 2018, engineers discovered that certain driveshafts were allowed to cool to room temperature due to equipment stoppage on the assembly line, or they were taken offline for repairs.
In September 2018, another report of a broken driveshaft was received, this time on a Honda Fit.
Broken driveshafts were collected and engineers determined the reduced assembly temperatures decreased the protective coating’s adhesion, increasing the likelihood of corrosion.
But Honda also found the driveshafts that broke used shear-type dynamic dampers which are more susceptible to corrosion from deicing agents such as road salt.
As of November 24, 2020, Honda has received 152 warranty claims, 10 field reports, but no reports of crashes or injuries related to this issue.
Honda says there may not be enough replacement driveshafts for all the recalled vehicles, so some owners will be contacted first for dealerships to inspect both left and right driveshafts for corrosion-related protective coating deformities near the dynamic dampers.
If there are deformities (40mm for Honda Civic Hybrid and Fit, 50mm for Acura ILX and ILX Hybrid), the driveshaft will be replaced.
A driveshaft that does not meet the 40mm/50mm requirement will not be replaced because Honda believes the driveshaft won't break for the remaining expected life of the vehicle.
Other Honda owners will receive interim notices that replacement parts aren't yet available, then Honda will send second notices when parts become available.
The Acura and Honda driveshaft recall is expected to begin February 1, 2021, but concerned customers may call Honda at 888-234-2138.
Honda's numbers for this recall are E9B and A9A.