Japanese automaker, Honda, has developed quite a loyal following globally. The company has managed to produce vehicles and compete favorably with industry titans like Mercedes, Toyota, and BMW for over 70 years. It was founded in 1946 in Hamamatsu, Japan, and has since expanded to sell its automobiles in every car market in the world. The Honda badge has achieved global success and acclaim with its impressively reliable vehicles like the Accord, the Odyssey, and the CR-V. These models are not just reliable but also provide the best value for money compared to competitors in their respective vehicle segments.
Honda has also, over the years, given us vehicles that have gone on to achieve legendary status in the automotive universe. These include the Honda / Acura NSX, the Honda S2000, and the Honda Civic Type-R. Honda has a fan base that swears by the brand, although the Japanese manufacturer is not perfect. Just like other automakers, there are things about Honda vehicles that enthusiasts will never own up to.
10 Honda Is A Motorcycle Company More Than A Car Company
The Honda Motor Company is a multinational conglomerate that not only produces vehicles but also motorcycles and power equipment. Honda sells more motorcycles globally than any other manufacturer. By 2019, it had sold about 400 million motorcycles, with Africa, Asia, and South America being the main markets for their motorcycles. Honda also produces a substantial number of internal combustion engines — about 14 million per year, and in 2015, the conglomerate was the 8th largest automaker in the world. But some Honda enthusiasts always want to disassociate from their two-wheeled heritage. There is a general lack of pride in Honda motorcycles by Honda vehicle owners. Automakers like BMW, who also produce motorcycles, have active communities and events for both their cars and motorcycles. When it comes to Honda, the motorcycle and vehicle subsidiaries operate like two completely separate companies.
9 The Honda Accord Has Transmission Issues
Honda Accord owners (and also Civic owners) have consistently complained about transmission fluid leakage and vehicles jerking during acceleration. These are usually signs of a faulty transmission and can prove to be potentially dangerous if it is not attended to immediately. If you are looking to purchase a Honda Accord, you may want to avoid the models from the following years; 1998 - 2005, 2008 – 2010, 2013, and 2014. These were the years that Honda had the most difficult time with transmission malfunctions. Post-2014, Honda seemed to have mitigated the problem. Some generations of Honda Accord are also frequently riddled with erratic down-shifts when they pass the 100,000-mile range.
8 The Honda CR-V Can Break Randomly Without Warning
In 2022, the National Highway Traffic Safety Authority (NHTSA) launched an inquiry into The 2017-2019 Honda CR-V, after multiple owners complained that the vehicles applied the brakes without them touching the brake pedal. Out of the over 250 cases NHTSA received about faulty brakes, six of them involved collisions that resulted in minor injuries. New Honda vehicles use radar to track the road and vehicles ahead. In the case of an impending collision, the radar system relays the message to the entertainment system, and it flashes and makes sounds to warn the driver. If the driver does not apply the brakes accordingly, the vehicle applies the brakes automatically. This is impressive, but sometimes the system misfires, causing the vehicle to stop or decelerate suddenly. Cars following behind are then likely to rear-end the vehicle and cause an accident. Honda has been working closely with the NHTSA to solve this problem.
7 Honda Vehicles Suffer From Airbag Malfunctions
On February 3rd, 2023, Honda and NHTSA issued a ‘Do Not Drive’ advisory to 8,200 Honda owners until the airbag inflators were replaced. The 2001–2002 Honda Accord and Civic, the 2002 Honda CR-V and Honda Odyssey, the 2003 Honda Pilot, the 2002–2003 Acura 3.2 TL, and the 2003 Acura 3.2 CL are the models affected by this advisory. The faulty airbags (frequently known as Takata airbags) have been linked to more than 30 deaths worldwide, with at least 23 in the United States. In a statement, Honda expressed that they were concerned about the safety of their clients. The car manufacturer is providing free towing of faulty vehicles, free repairs, and loaner cars when the cars are being repaired.
6 The Honda CR-V and Honda Fit suffer from Overheating Window Switches
In a December 2020 official statement, Honda acknowledged a problem with overheating window switches and stated that about 268000 Honda vehicles had been affected. 16 fires had been reported to have been caused by this malfunction. In the United States, Honda CR-Vs of 2002–2006 were the models affected. Honda offered to replace the faulty switches for free. This is how the statement explained how the potentially fatal glitch occurred. “Over time, exposure to water and other fluids can cause electrical resistance in the switch, which ultimately can cause the switch to overheat and melt, damaging the switch and potentially damaging an associated wire harness. Additionally, if a switch melts, it could produce smoke and potentially cause a fire, increasing the risk to motor vehicle safety.” Honda advised their clients with faulty models to take their vehicles to authorized dealers as soon as they received the notification.
5 Honda Vehicles Suffer From Faulty Fuel Pumps
Honda initiated a recall of about 628,000 cars because of defective fuel pumps in 2021. An impeller in the fuel pump would crack and eventually lead to the vehicle stalling, therefore increasing the risk of a crash. Fortunately, there were no reported accidents or injuries resulting from the problem. The fuel pump malfunctions also affected vehicles from Honda’s luxury subsidiary, Acura. Honda models affected include the 2019-2020 Honda Accord, 2019 Accord Hybrid, 2019 Civic Coupe and Si Coupe, 2019-2020 Civic Hatchback, 2019 Civic Sedan and Si Sedan, 2019 Civic Type R, 2018-2019 CR-V, 2019 Fit, 2019 HR-V, 2019-2020 Insight, 2019 Odyssey, 2019 Passport, 2019 Pilot, and the 2019 Ridgeline. The 2019 Acura ILX, 2019-2020 MDX, 2019-2020 MDX Hybrid, 2019-2020 RDX, and the 2019-2020 TLX suffered from this problem in the Acura lineup.
4 The Steering On The Reliable Accord V-6 Were Sub-Standard
In September 2012, Honda America put out an official statement detailing the expansion of an earlier power steering hose recall. Honda said, “Over time, exposure to high under-hood and power steering fluid temperatures may cause the power steering hose to deteriorate and develop a fluid leak. Leaking power steering fluid could lead to loss of power steering assistance or, if it leaks onto a catalytic converter, it may result in smoke or in the worst case, fire. No crashes or injuries have been reported related to this issue, but one engine fire has been reported. With this expansion, the recall now includes 2003-2007 Accord V-6 models in addition to the originally recalled 2007-2008 Acura TL models.”
3 The Mazda Miata Is Better Than The Honda S2000
There is usually a debate about which is the better sports car is; the Miata or the S2000. Honda fanboys will say that the S2000 is better but is underrated. In some ways, they could be right. The S2000 was manufactured by Honda from 1999 and was discontinued in 2009. It is a 2-door roadster with later models achieving a top speed of 153 MPH. The 2009 model has a 2.2-liter engine mated to a 6-speed manual transmission capable of producing 237 horsepower and 167 pound-feet of torque at 6800 revolutions per minute. The Miata, on the other hand, is still in production today and has proved to be popular with sports car drivers searching for the thrill of speed at an affordable price. Miatas today have a 2-liter, 4-cylinder engine that pushes out about 181 horsepower at 7000 revolutions per minute. This means that on paper, the S2000 is more powerful than the Miata. But, there is one caveat – the weight. Even in 2009, the S2000 was heavier, and this made the 2-seater less nimble through corners. The S2000 also came to life at lower gears when slamming the acceleration pedal. Because it was lighter, the Miata's torque is available instantly and at any gear. This made the Miata a much more fun car to drive despite having less power. There is no denying the global popularity and critical acclaim of the Mazda Miata.
2 The Honda Odyssey Minivans and the Honda Pilot SUV Had Ignition Defects
This malfunction was caused by the ignition interlock feature. The interlock normally keeps the key locked in the ignition slot when the car is not in park. When it is defective, the key can be removed when the vehicle is in motion, in drive, neutral, or in reverse. This means that the car could move even when the driver mistakenly assumes that it is in park. In 2012, Honda recalled a total of over 800,000 vehicles in the United States and a further 63,000 globally due to the ignition issue. 318000 Honda Odyssey minivans, about 259,000 Honda Pilots, and 230,000 Acura MDXs from 2003 to 2006 were recalled. Two such incidents that resulted in minor injuries were reported.
1 Honda’s Best-Selling Crossover, the CR-V, has Faulty Air Conditioning.
If you are in the market for a used crossover and are living in a state with all-year-round summer-like weather, then it may be best to avoid the 2012 Honda CR-V. Owners of the vehicle frequently complain about warm air coming from the air conditioning vents. This can actually be caused by a variety of factors. The main one is that the CR-V could have a malfunctioning compressor, which is responsible for pressurizing the refrigerant and circulating it through the air conditioning system. Other factors include low refrigerant fluid levels, a faulty expansion valve, and a clogged air filter. It is, however, important to note that air condition malfunction is common in used vehicles because of wear and tear of the various air conditioning components. A quick trip to a mechanic and regular vehicle servicing will reduce such cases.