Over 2M Honda Vehicles Under Investigation for Engine Restart Failure
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening an investigation into over 2 million Honda vehicles over reports of engine restart failure after coming to a stop, reports LiveNOW.
NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation said it’s received at least 1,384 reports related to the issue, which included four incidents involving a crash or fire, and two reports of injuries.
Included in the investigation are an estimated 2,209,466 vehicles, consisting of the 2016-2025 Honda Pilot, 2018-2025 Honda Odyssey, 2019-2025 Honda Passport, 2020-2025 Honda Ridgeline, 2015-2025 Acura TLX, and 2016-2025 Acura MDX.
Specifically, the preliminary probe will focus on Honda’s Auto Idle Stop system, which shuts the engine off when a vehicle is stopped to improve fuel efficiency. However, complaints allege that the engine would fail to start back up, with some claiming a jumpstart was needed.
Honda had put out a service bulletin for the issue in January 2023, but NHTSA says it has nonetheless persisted—even with drivers who took preventative measures outlined in the service bulletin.
NHTSA opened its engineering analysis on March 26 to examine the safety risks of the issue, and to determine how effective Honda’s service bulletin was. The agency has expanded its scope to include the vehicles listed in previous service bulletins, as well as newer models. The investigation is estimated to take 18 months, with the need for a recall to be determined afterward.
