Honda Recalls 1.7 Million Cars Over Increased ‘Steering Difficulty’

Honda has recalled nearly 1.7 million vehicles for a fault in their steering racks that could lead to “difficulty steering the vehicle.”

According to the NHTSA’s recall site, the problem lies with the steering gearbox assembly. The assembly may have been manufactured incorrectly, causing “excessive internal friction” between parts, which could lead to excess difficulty steering. 

A total of 1,693,199 vehicles are affected, spanning Honda and Acura brands. Most of the cars are on the smaller side, which makes sense considering it’s all the same part. Here’s the full list of vehicles and model years affected:

Honda suspects only about 1 percent of cars included in the recall—around 17,000 cars—to have the steering fault, according to Automotive News. Nevertheless, the company plans to replace the worm gear spring inside the steering gearbox with a new part and add grease to reduce friction for every car recalled, free of charge at dealers. 

A tell-tale sign of the problem comes through a momentary “sticky” feeling when the steering wheel is turned. Owners who have paid to have their cars repaired are eligible to be reimbursed.

Honda received its first complaint about this issue back in September 2021. Since then it’s received a whopping 10,328 related warranty claims. The NHTSA received 13 reports of crashes related to the steering fault, including 11 drivers who said they couldn’t regain control in time before leaving the road. Thankfully no injuries or deaths have been reported in relation to the problem.

Think your car might be one of the 1.7 million affected? Head on over to the NHTSA’s dedicated recall site and punch in your VIN.