Honda Faces NHTSA Probe Over Engine Failure in 1.4M Vehicles

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating 1.4 million Honda vehicles sold in the US due to concerns about engine failure caused by connecting rod bearing failures. The regulator has received 414 reports of the issue in various Honda and Acura vehicles with 3.5L V6 engines.

The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened a probe into potential engine failures in over 1.4 million Honda vehicles sold in the United States, following concerns about connecting rod bearing failures. The regulator has received 414 reports of the issue in various Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with 3.5L V6 engines [1].

The investigation covers several models and years, including the 2016-2020 Honda Pilot, 2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline, 2018-2020 Honda Odyssey, 2016-2020 Acura MDX, and 2018-2020 Acura TLX [1]. The NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is looking into the potential safety risk posed by these failures, which could lead to complete engine failure [2].

Honda issued a recall in November 2023 to address a possible manufacturing defect in the engine crankshaft that could cause the connecting rod bearing to wear prematurely and seize, leading to engine failure [3]. However, the current investigation focuses on engine failures not covered by the previous recall [3]. The NHTSA has received 414 customer reports and 2,598 manufacturer reports of connecting rod bearing failures, with 7 reports of crashes or fires [3].

The investigation aims to determine the scope and severity of the problem and fully assess the potential safety-related consequences of the defect [3]. If the investigation leads to a recall, Honda will have to fix up to 1,410,806 engines in the United States alone [3].

References:
[1] https://www.cbsnews.com/news/honda-acura-engine-failure-nhtsa-investigation-2025/
[2] https://auto.economictimes.indiatimes.com/amp/news/auto-components/us-probes-into-more-than-1-4-million-honda-vehicles-over-engine-failure/123499931
[3] https://www.autoevolution.com/news/feds-open-new-investigation-into-honda-35l-v6-engine-over-connecting-rod-bearing-failures-256319.html