It’s turning into Big Recall week in the North American auto industry. After Stellantis with its Jeeps, now it’s Honda’s turn to issue a major safety recall that affects over a million vehicles across North America. In its case, it’s to address a severe corrosion issue that could potentially cause a vehicle's rear wheels to fall off. We count that in the ‘severe’ category, for sure.
The recall covers 880,514 vehicles in the United States and 136,260 in Canada, targeting popular midsize crossovers and trucks flying the Honda and Acura banners.
More specifically, as per Honda and Transport Canada, the safety campaign impacts the following:
- - 2014–2020 Acura MDX
- - 2016–2022 Honda Pilot
- - 2019–2023 Honda Passport
- - 2017–2023 Honda Ridgeline
The problem
The root of the problem stems from an inadequate paint application by a subframe supplier during manufacturing. Honda discovered that this substandard protective coating can peel over time. In cold-weather regions where road salt and chemical de-icers are heavily used during winter, the exposed metal quickly corrodes.
Transport Canada warned that the suspension mounting points on the rear subframe could rust so severely that the structural material could fracture. If the components fail, the rear wheels can become misaligned, significantly degrading vehicle handling and control. In the absolute worst-case scenario, the intense corrosion could cause the rear suspension components to break entirely, leading to a complete wheel separation while driving. In other words, the wheels could fall off.
Honda Canada estimates that only about 1 percent of the recalled vehicles actually have the physical defect, but the company says it’s erring on the side of caution by including all models built during the affected production window.
Drivers are urged to look out for warning signs, which include abnormal noises or vibrations coming from the rear suspension, as well as sudden changes in steering response.
This is not Honda’s first bout with rust, of course. The automaker previously recalled over 560,000 CR-Vs in 2023 for suspension corrosion and older Ridgelines in 2022 for rusted fuel tank mounts.
The timing of this latest setback is particularly tough for the Japanese brand, which is currently navigating financial headwinds and a separate major recall regarding defective emergency tire repair kits.
The solution
To rectify the suspension hazard, dealerships will inspect the rear subframe of affected vehicles. Depending on the severity of the rust, technicians will either install a specialized subframe reinforcement kit or completely replace the compromised subframe components free of charge. U.S. owner notifications are scheduled to begin on July 7, with Canadian mailings expected to follow the same timeline.