NHTSA says the vehicles were not included in a recall to address the same issue
of ConsumerAffairs
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles that may have a serious engine defect. According to NHTSA, connecting rod bearings may fail, leading to complete engine failure.
The investigation stems from a recall a year ago, when Honda recalled 250,000 vehicles to address the problem. But after the recall NHTSA continued to hear from drivers of vehicles not included in the recall. The agency received 173 complaints about rod bearing failure.
The investigation covers 2016-2020 Acura MDX, 2018-2020 Acura TLX, 2016-2020 Honda Pilot, 2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline and 2018-2020 Honda Odyssey. In all, an estimated 1,410,806.
The NHTSA document notes that the 173 incidents do not include any crashes, injuries or deaths.
All 173 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports display failures that have characteristics consistent with those addressed in recall 23V-751 but are out of the scope of the recall, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) said in the investigation announcement. ODI is opening this Recall Query (RQ) to assess the severity of the alleged defect in vehicles not included in recall 23V-751.
The agency said its investigation would determine how severe the problem is and whether another recall is called for.
What is an engine rod bearing?
An engine rod bearing is a critical part of an automobile engine. It has two semicircular halves that keep the crankshaft and connecting rod in position as they rotate.
The top part has a small hole that provides lubrication to the crankshaft and prevents it from overheating as it spins. All if the vehicles pistons and connecting rod assemblies have a rod bearing.
There are several things that can cause a rod bearing to fail. They include not enough lubrication, dirt buildup and corrosion.
Should a bearing fail you will see the check engine light come on and hear a knocking sound coming from the engine compartment.
Photo Credit: Consumer Affairs News Department Images
Posted: 2024-11-11 16:11:52
