NHTSA safety investigation
NHTSA Investigation PE03013
Preliminary Evaluation · Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
An investigation is not a finding that a defect exists.
NHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
What NHTSA is examining
The agency's own description of the inquiry, quoted as published
IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK SYSTEM
ALL ODI COMPLAINTS AND CRASHES ARE DUPLICATIVE OF HONDA COMPLAINTS.THE WARRANTY CLAIM COUNT SHOWN FOR OTHER REPRESENTS INCIDENTS WHERE HONDA'S ANALYSIS OF CLAIM DETAIL INDICATES THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED.THE CR-V INTERLOCK SYSTEM UTILIZES AN ECU TO CONTROL A SOLENOID DRIVEN BLOCKING DEVICE THAT PREVENTS KEY REMOVAL WHEN THE SHIFTER IS NOT IN PARK.HONDA DOCUMENTS IDENTIFIED A CONDITION WHERE METALLIC DEBRIS INTERFERES WITH THE OPERATION OF THE BLOCKING SOLENOID AND CAUSES THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM TO MALFUNCTION.HONDA DETERMINED THAT A MANUFACTURING PROCESS WAS THE SOURCE OF THE DEBRIS AND IMPLEMENTED A COUNTERMEASURE IN MARCH 2002.APPROXIMATELY 62,000 VEHICLES WERE PRODUCED PRIOR TO THIS DATE.ODI RECOGNIZES 63 INCIDENTS OF INTERLOCK FAILURE, WHICH INCLUDE 7 ROLLAWAY CRASHES, TWO OF WHICH RESULTED IN THREE INJURIES AND A MULTI VEHICLE ACCIDENT.ALL 63 FAILURES OCCURRED ON VEHICLES PRODUCED PRIOR TO THE MARCH COUNTERMEASURE.NOTING THE POPULATION OF POTENTIALLY AFFECTED VEHICLES, BOTH THE FAILURE AND CRASH RATES ARE OF SIGNIFICANT CONCERN TO ODI.
An investigation is a separate record from a recall and from a manufacturer communication. A manufacturer campaign to repair a safety defect or a failure to meet a federal safety standard.
Investigation details
Identifiers, dates and outcome as recorded by NHTSA
- Action number
- PE03013
- Investigation type
- Preliminary Evaluation (PE)
- Status
- Closed
- Manufacturer
- Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
- Component
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH
- Opened
- Apr 15, 2003
- Closed
- Sep 9, 2003
- Associated recall campaign
- None recorded
Vehicles named in this investigation
1 model year across 1 model
Being named here means NHTSA included the vehicle in the scope of its inquiry. It is not a statement that these vehicles have a defect.