Honda Recall Over Fire Hazard
Honda has issued a recall for 489,000 CR-V crossovers from the 2002 to 2006 model years due to an electrical switch in the driver’s side door that could melt and cause a fire.
Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announced the recall on Saturday, October 6. The recall affects 268,000 vehicles in the United States, 220,000 in Europe and 98 in Africa.
Honda has said that rain or other liquids could enter through a driver’s open window and damage the master power switch on the door, causing it to overheat, melt, and possibly ignite.
No one has been injured as a result of this problem, but five fires have been reported. Four of the incidents occurred in the United States and one in England.
All the recalled vehicles were manufactured at a Honda plant in Britain.
The traffic safety agency recommends that owners of CR-V crossovers from 2002 – 2006 should park their cars outside until the recall is performed to avoid any property damage from a fire. A fire could start even when the ignition is off and the CR-V is parked.
Owners will be contacted next month by Honda who will repair the problem for free by installing a cover plate inside the switch to prevent liquid from entering.
This is the third major recall Honda has announced in a week. On Thursday the company said it was recalling 820,000 Civic compact and Pilot S.U.V.’s from the 2002 through 2004 model years because the headlights could fail. On October 1, a recall was put out for 600,000 Accord midsize cars because a faulty hydraulic hose used for power steering could leak and cause a fire.