Hundreds of Thousands of Acura and Honda Vehicles Have a Brake Problem

Some Of Honda’s Most Popular Cars Are Faulty

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced a new recall for some 259,033 vehicles that may have a dangerous flaw. According to the NHTSA recall documents, a pivot pin on the brake pedal of certain vehicles under both the Honda and Acura brands may not have been secured properly, which may cause the pedal to move out of position. As you can imagine, the worst-case scenario might see a driver press the brake only to find that the pedal may simultaneously engage the accelerator pedal (none of the affected cars come with a clutch pedal) or be otherwise prevented from being fully depressed. The recall affects the Honda Pilot and Acura MDX three-row mid-size SUVs, along with the TLX sedan.

Numerous Model Years Face The Recall

The recall impacts TLX model years 2021-2025, while owners of either SUV only need to worry if theirs is a 2023-2025 model. As a physical flaw, this won’t be solved with a software update, and dealers will have to inspect and replace the brake pedal assembly as necessary. As a manufacturer flaw, this won’t cost owners anything but time. Speaking of which, drivers will need to be cautious for a little while, as notification letters are only expected to be mailed on July 28. In the meantime, it can’t hurt to physically inspect the pedals before each drive to ensure that neither foot pedal is interfering with the other.

Recalls Are Only One Concern For Honda

Every year, millions of cars are recalled over defects, but Honda has managed to maintain a reputation for reliability. Still, there are challenges it must face that are beyond its control. Honda says tariffs will erase some $4 billion from its profit margins, and it’s going to spend a not-inconsiderable amount moving production of the popular Civic to avoid those tariffs. Hopefully, this major change and other cost-cutting measures do not negatively impact quality. Fortunately, the TLX won’t be badly impacted as it’s built in Marysville, Ohio. The MDX and Pilot benefit from being made in Lincoln, Alabama, too.