Honda Recalls 600k Odyssey Minivans Over Seat Malfunctions

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Honda is voluntarily recalling and halting sales on nearly 634,000 Odyssey minivans for issues with the second-row seats.

The voluntary safety recall affects 633,753 Odyssey model years 2011 through 2016 in the United States and over 52,000 vehicles in Canada.

Reportedly, the defect involves a second-row release lever that allows access to the third row. The lever could stay unlocked, causing the second-row seat to move unexpectedly, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration documents.

“There is potential for the seat to stay in the unlocked position (free-sliding) after returning the seat to its normal position,” Honda said in a statement, warning that an unlocked seat increases the risk of injury in a crash.

No accounts of accidents or injuries have been made related to the seat lever malfunction, Honda affirmed on its website.

However, Forbes reports that despite numerous complaints and nearly 700 warranty claims since 2011, Honda only opted to “continue monitoring the field for related incidents,” instead of fixing the safety hazard.

According to the article, by December 2016, Honda had 689 warranty claims and determined there was a safety defect. While no injuries were reported, in a complaint from 2014, one owner wrote: “The seat slides back and forth. If there is a person in the seat it is a very dangerous situation as my passengers have hit their legs on the seat in front of them going at a very slow speed.”

Until the required repair has been performed on each vehicle, Honda recommends that, after using the walk-in feature, Odyssey owners should slide the seat into the desired position and manually lock the seat into a fixed position by pushing down on the horizontal position adjustment bar.

The Honda Odyssey recall will see dealers install additional springs and brackets onto the slide mechanism for the outboard second row seats, at no cost to vehicle owners. These additional springs and brackets will provide additional return torque to the mechanisms, ensuring that the seats lock into place.

Honda has said that because the seat lever recall affects hundreds of thousands of Odyssey minivans, the necessary parts will not be available until spring 2017. Owners of affected Odyssey vehicles will be informed of the recall in an initial mailed notification letter in mid-February 2017.

A second notification letter will be sent to inform Odyssey owners when parts become available.

In a separate recall, over 7,500 year 2016 model Honda Odyssey minivans will be recalled for noncompliance. In this recall, expected to begin next month, an issue with the horizontal adjuster bar in the second row’s center seat, could cause the bar to stick in the unlocked position, causing the seats to slide unexpectedly.

Again, no injuries have been linked to the slide function defect. Honda contends they discovered the defect during an internal quality check.

The automaker says the problem stems from internal parts with a “rough surface, reduced torque on the return spring (as a result of manufacturing variability), inconsistent inadequate grease application, and potential grease hardening under specific temperature and humidity ranges.”

Dealers have been instructed to replace the adjuster bar if necessary.

Customers who have questions about the two Odyssey recalls can contact Honda Customer Service at 1-888-234-2138.