According to the New York Times, Honda is recalling about 76,000 2004 to 2008 Acura TSX models in the United States because of a stalling problem. The recall covers only vehicles sold or registered in so called salt-belt states. Those states are Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia. That is what is called a regional recall, and for years consumer advocates, like the Center for Auto Safety, have objected to such limited actions. The basic criticism is that the tactic saves automakers money, but in a fluid society some vehicles could be missed. Automakers and N.H.T.S.A. have defended the strategy as practical and safe.
Honda says the problem is that road salt carried into the vehicle by the driver’s shoes may saturate the carpeting and seep through to damage the electronic control unit in the floor. In the worst case, Honda told the safety agency, the engine would stall. Honda says it received its first complaint in February 2011 about a car from Iceland, followed by other complaints from Iceland and Canada. The company by late 2011 had determined that the problem was corrosion. But it was not until this month that Honda decided a recall was necessary.
In an e-mail Honda spokesman Chris Martin wrote that the automaker had not issued a recall sooner because it had taken time to fully understand the problem and while “we had gained some understanding of what may have occurred in some vehicles in Canada – we did not at that time have enough information to draw conclusions about the existence of or frequency of occurrences in the United States.” The automaker said in a news release that it was not aware of any accidents related to the problem.
Honda Acura TSX owners should their vehicles to the dealership to determine if it is part of the recall.
If you or someone you know have been injured by a defective vehicle, contact the attorneys at Abraham, Watkins, Nichols, Agosto, Aziz & Stogner by calling (713) 222-7211 or 713-222-7211.