Massive Honda recall impacts 440K vehciles over airbags potentially deploying ‘unexpectedly’
Honda is recalling a massive fleet of 440,830 Odyssey minivans over a potentially serious airbag malfunction, following reports of dozens of injuries, federal regulators announced.
In a notice dated April 9, the automaker warned that a software programming flaw could trigger the side airbags to deploy unexpectedly from relatively minor road impacts, including "driving over potholes, speed bumps, or road debris."
"Air bags that deploy unexpectedly can increase the risk of injury," the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said.
Regulators said the affected vehicles include 2018–2022 models manufactured between Jan. 24, 2017, and June 3, 2022.
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The issue was reportedly corrected in the production process thereafter, clearing subsequent model years from the recall.
To address the defect, authorized dealers will reprogram or replace the electrical units at no cost to vehicle owners.
As of April 2, Honda has recorded 130 warranty claims and 25 reported injuries linked to the issue. No fatalities have been reported yet, according to NHTSA.
In a stark warning, safety regulators also noted that Honda may have been aware of the defect days before formally reporting it, adding that the delay could raise concerns under federal laws governing the timely disclosure of safety issues.
"The information in your report suggests that Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) may have been aware of this issue more than five business days before filing a report with NHTSA," the agency said.
"Please be reminded that under Federal law, this agency is to be notified of all safety defect and/or noncompliance decisions within five business days…. Significant civil penalties can be assessed for this violation."
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Official notification letters are scheduled for distribution in late May 2026.
A stop-sale order has also been issued for impacted units currently in dealership inventories.
Customers with further questions can contact Honda's customer service line at 1-888-234-2138.
Drivers can also check whether their car has been impacted by searching for their model number on NHTSA.gov.
FOX Business reached out to Honda for more information.