- Honda recalls 880,514 vehicles over corrosion-related rear suspension failures.
- Pilot, Passport, Ridgeline, and Acura MDX models from MY14-23 are all affected.
- Subframes with inadequate paint protection could corrode the control arm mount.
Honda in a rust recall? If you feel like you’ve read this one before, you’re not entirely wrong. Just a few years after corrosion-related recalls hit older CR-Vs and Ridgelines, Honda is recalling 880,514 vehicles in the US because rust can attack rear suspension mounting points and potentially lead to a loss of vehicle control.
The campaign affects vehicles sold in salt-belt states, where winter road treatments have a nasty habit of finding every vulnerable piece of metal underneath a vehicle. The latest recall covers 463,253 examples of the 2016-2022 Pilot, 110,070 examples of the 2017-2023 Ridgeline, and 89,674 examples of the 2019-2023 Passport. Another 217,517 MY14-20 Acura MDXs are included, bringing the grand total to 880,514 vehicles.
Related: Honda’s Odyssey Has Caused 25 Injuries By Mistaking Potholes For Crashes
It seems some rear subframes were manufactured with coating issues that could result in poor paint adhesion. Once the coating starts peeling away, road salt and moisture can get to work. Over time, corrosion can eat away at suspension mounting areas until the metal weakens enough to crack.
That’s where things can potentially get dangerous. Honda says corrosion at the rear control arm or lower arm mounting points can eventually lead to component failure. If that happens, the rear wheels can become misaligned, affecting handling, stability, and braking performance. Or in a worst-case scenario, the entire arm could come off. Drivers may notice unusual rear suspension noises, vibrations, or changes in handling before a full-blown collapse, Honda warns.
Different Models, Similar Problems
As we touched on earlier, the company isn’t exactly new to corrosion-related recalls. In 2023, Honda recalled more than 560,000 MY07-11 CR-Vs after corrosion in the rear frame was found to allow a trailing arm to detach. And a year earlier, more than 112,000 MY06-14 Ridgelines were recalled because rust could damage the fuel tank mountings and potentially cause a fuel leak. Both recalls were concentrated in the same northern states where road salt accelerates corrosion.
Honda first spotted differences in subframe paint quality testing back in late 2021 and spent years monitoring vehicles in the US and Canada before determining a safety defect existed. The automaker says dealers will inspect affected vehicles and install a rear subframe reinforcement kit. In more severe cases, additional repairs or even complete subframe replacement may be required. Owner notifications are scheduled to begin on July 7.
