Parking Brake Problem Leads to Honda Civic Recall
Vehicle recalls have been setting records for several years now, and the numbers keep piling up. Too often, manufacturers put vehicles on the market and then find problems with them that could put vehicle owners and their families at risk and they have a duty to fix those. At the end of last week, for example, Honda announced that it had issued a voluntary Honda Civic recall for a total of 350,083 model-year 2016 Sedans and Coupes because of concerns with their parking brake system.
What’s the Issue With the Affected Vehicles?
According to the notice posted with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announcing the recall, the problem is that, sometimes, when the engine is off, the electronic parking brake may fail to apply if it is engaged after shutting off the engine. If that happens, the “BRAKE” light on the dashboard will flash for 15 seconds, but if the driver doesn’t notice that and the parking brake doesn’t engage, the car could possibly roll away, leading to an increased risk of a crash.
The problem lies with the software for the Vehicle Stability Assist Electronic Control Unit (VSA ECU), which may be preventing the application of the parking brake soon after the vehicle’s ignition is shut off. Honda noted that the problem does not happen when the parking brake is applied before shutting off the vehicle ignition.
Honda was made aware of this issue through its constant analysis of warranty claims, another reason it’s important to report things that go wrong with a vehicle. So far, Honda claims it has found at least 342 cases in which this parking brake problem occurred so far, although they are quick to point out that no accidents or injuries have been reported as yet.
What is Honda’s Solution to the Problem?
Honda has said that they will be sending out recall notices to all owners of these vehicles sometime early next month. The fix is a relatively simple one, in which the dealership will update the software, which they estimate will take about an hour. In the meantime, they are recommending that drivers apply the parking brake just before shutting off the engine. If you don’t want to wait until Honda sends you a recall notice, you can go to the Honda website and enter your VIN to find out immediately if your vehicle is one of those recalled.
If you have one of these vehicles, we encourage you to take care of this problem as soon as you possibly can. Though parking brakes may seem like a minor issue, a failed one can lead to serious injuries under certain circumstances. For example, imagine you’re trying to get your child out of their car seat and the vehicle starts rolling.
Don’t Wait, Speak to an Auto Defect Attorney
If you or someone you love has been injured or killed in an accident that may have been caused by this or any other vehicle defect, please contact the experienced Auto Defect Injury Lawyer at the Hill Law Firm as soon as you can, so that we can investigate the issue and confront the vehicle manufacturer and anyone else who is responsible. We have the skills to take on even the largest companies in the industry and we can help you.