Honda Recalls 4.5 Million Cars, Citing Fuel Pump Defect

Honda is recalling some 4.5 million cars worldwide, citing faulty fuel pumps that could cause havoc on the road.

The vehicles’ fuel pumps could fail, causing engines to stall unexpectedly, Honda recently told federal regulators. The company blamed “improper moulding” of fuel pump impellers, which can deform and interfere with pump performance.

“If the fuel pump module is inoperative, the engine may not start or can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash or injury,” Honda said in a defect notice. The document was filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the agency that oversees auto recalls in the U.S.

More than 2.5 million of the recalled vehicles were sold in the U.S. The recall covers a wide range of models, including the 2018-2020 Honda Accord, Civic, CR-V, HR-V, Insight, Ridgeline, Odyssey, and Passport. It also covers Acura models, such as the ILX, MDX, RDX, RLX, TLX and NSX vehicles.

Honda previously recalled more than 600,000 vehicles in the U.S. for the same issue, Reuters reports.

This time around, the company said it plans to notify owners of recalled vehicles by early February. Honda will ask owners to bring their cars to authorized service providers for inspection and a part replacement.

“The dealer will replace the fuel pump module with an improved part,” Honda said in the defect notice. “Owners who have paid to have these repairs completed at their own expense may be eligible for reimbursement.”

These kinds of recalls have become all too common for Honda and other major auto manufacturers.

Honda recalled more cars in the U.S. than any other automaker last year, calling back more than 6.3 million vehicles, according to NHTSA data. Ford (6.2 million), Kia (3.1 million), Chrysler (2.7 million) and General Motors (2 million) were also among the most recalled vehicles nationwide.

The Honda fuel pump recall came one day after the company recalled some 106,000 CR-V hybrid vehicles. Honda cited the risk of fire or injury in a crash caused by an overheated battery cable or short circuit in that recall.

Honda Owners in California: Know Your Rights

The California lemon law gives car owners and lessors in the Golden State some important rights and protections.

The law generally requires carmakers to perform a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also forces manufacturers to buy back vehicles that they are unable or simply refuse to fix. That means compensating the owner for the vehicle’s purchase price, as well as financing charges, rental car costs and other related expenses.

Our California Lemon Lawyers Can Help

At Bickel Sannipoli, our California lemon law attorneys have assisted hundreds of clients across the state stuck with defective or malfunctioning vehicles. 

We are conveniently located in Los Angeles, San Diego and San Francisco. Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with a California lemon law attorney today.