Honda Recall and Brakes on Minivans to Crossovers

By: Mary Smith
Staff Writer
Published: Mar 17, 2010

Odyssey minivans, Element crossover vehicles are part of a new Honda recall and brakes that have a defective vehicle-stability-assist modulator.

Honda recall and brakes are the latest problem for Odyssey minivans and Element crossovers. More than 412,000 vehicles have a problem with the vehicle-stability-assist modulator. It's just another set of bad news that continues to hurt the automotive industry.

"It's not a sudden type of situation that will take place," Honda spokesman Ron Lietzke said in a statement. The brake problem happens over time. However, if the problem does develop, the brakes might fail.

Recalls are the main problem for automakers this year. Toyota estimates that recent recalls will cost the company $2 billion. However, the problem with Honda only affects minivans and crossovers built in 2007 through 2008.

Honda received complaints that the brake pedals felt soft or gradually got closer to the floor before the vehicle stopped. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has notified the automaker about three reported crashes. There were no deaths related to the crashes.

This is the second significant recall for Honda in the past two months. In early February, the company recalled 437,000 vehicles worldwide for bad airbags. In rare cases, the airbag can burst, spraying metal fragments.

There has been significant public interest in safety recalls for the past few months. Toyota is still dealing with problems with accelerators or brakes. Honda is going out of their way to be viewed as proactive in dealing with safety issues.

Odyssey Minivan Evaluation Reports Increase In Quality Issues

The Odyssey minivan had originally been engineered in Japan in the wake of country's economic crisis of the 1990s. It has gone through three generations of design since it was introduced. For 2008, the Odyssey received a mid-model facelift.

All models are equipped with active front head restraints, daytime running lights, and an MP3 jack. There is also full Bluetooth support on the Touring model, for all Bluetooth-equipped devices. The grille is similar to the 2008 Accord.

The backup camera, previously only included with navigation-equipped models, is integrated into the rear-view mirror of the non-navigation EX-L. The Touring models are now standard with navigation. The DVD rear entertainment system can be ordered on the EX-L trim.

JD Powers latest evaluation reported an increase in quality issues reported by owners. The most frequent concerns are vehicle vibration, steering vibration, and erratic operation of transmission. The Odyssey is still one of the top-selling minivans in North America.

Element Crossover Combines Pickup Truck and Sport Utility Vehicle Features

The Element followed a concept vehicle called Model X. It was introduced in 2001. The Model X functionality was conceived with a cross-country road trip in mind.

The vehicle combines some features of a pickup truck and a sport utility vehicle. The Model X was first conceived by a core group of young R&D engineers in 1998. The 4-seat Element is optimized to carry large loads.

The floor is made of textured urethane that is easy to clean. The fabric is tough with stain-resistant material. Moreover, the individual rear seats recline, fold up, with removable features.

The rear clamshell tailgate arrangement is large with a tall design. The rear side doors open outwards from the front. The Element crossover is powered by a i-VTEC four-cylinder engine producing 166 horsepower.