Owners of 1.1 million model year 2013-2015 Honda Accords got some bad news this month — the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration formally opened an investigation into their vehicles.
The federal agency, which in charge of investigating consumer safety complaints about cars, began its query after receiving 107 complaints about a sudden loss of steering control for those vehicles. The agency analysis of the complaints indicates that “under normal driving conditions, with no warning or input from the driver, the vehicle may veer or jerk out of its intended path of travel.”
NHTSA also reported that “deviation from the intended path of travel occurs without warning or driver input while operating the vehicle under normal driving condition.”
As part of the investigation, NHTSA sent Honda official information requests on steering anomalies in the Accord. The agency also received reports of two injuries related to the steering problem.
Complaints date back to 2020
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) received a petition last October requesting an investigation of an alleged defect in the steering system in Model Year (MY) 2013 Honda Accord vehicles.
“The petitioner alleges that MY2013 Honda Accord vehicles are experiencing a sudden loss of steering control as the vehicle veers from its intended path of travel. The petitioner further alleges that this deviation from the intended path of travel occurs without warning or driver input while operating the vehicle under normal driving conditions.”
On Nov. 23, ODI opened a Defect Petition to analyze the complaints to see if they warranted further investigation. The office also sent two Information Request letters to Honda asking for information about steering anomalies in MY 2013 Honda Accord vehicles and later in MY 2014-2015 Accords.
The result was that on May 6, NHTSA officially announced that it was investigating the Accords in question. A recall could come next, although Honda could choose to issue one itself or the agency could order it.
Several recalls already
This latest investigation isn’t the only time these model year Accords have been on NHTSA’s radar. Take the 2015 Accord, for example. It has had four recalls and two investigations.
Reasons for the four recalls are:
- Drive shaft may corrode and fail;
- Reduced fuel pump performance may cause a stall;
- The battery sensor may short;
- Connecting rod bolts may be improperly torqued.
The 2013 Honda Accord two-door and four-door Front Wheel Drive (FWD) has had three recalls and four investigations. The 2014 Honda Accord two-door and four-door FWD has had three recalls and two investigations.
Probably a short in the clock spring from replacing the Takata airbags so many times.