[RahulNagaraj]

According to reports, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is opening a probe into 1.4 million Honda vehicles over reports of them having serious engine issues.

Back in November 2023, Honda recalled 249,000 vehicles in the USA, all powered by its 3.5-litre V6 engine. The carmaker stated that it was a manufacturing defect in the engine crankshaft, which could cause the connecting rod to prematurely wear, leading to engine failure. The NHTSA then stated that it received 173 reports of the issue from various Honda and Acura vehicles manufactured between 2016 and 2020. The probe initiated by the safety agency will determine if any of the vehicles that were not included in the 2023 recall need to be covered.



Honda is said to be aware of the NHTSA probe and has stated that it has already been in communication with the agency on this topic and would continue to cooperate with the NHTSA through the query process. The Japanese carmaker is said to have started the investigation in 2020, years before actually announcing the recall.

Last year, 1,450 warranty claims tied to the recall were made, as reported by Honda. Under the recall, dealers will either repair or replace the engine if needed.

Source: Reuters

Link to Team-BHP news

[abhiijithbhatn]

In my humble opinion(bit unpopular) NHTSA and other government agencies are driving large-scale manufacturers toward bankruptcy with their heavy-handed approaches. Unless there are mass accidents, they should not interfere with premature failures. Between 2016 and 2020, 1.4 million cars are at risk of pushing manufacturers to the brink unless Honda offers warranties to customers.

While the U.S. is a great place to start a business, the legal environment and lawsuit culture make long-term sustainability challenging. I doubt NHTSA would apply the same scrutiny to luxury cars; they seem focused on domestic Japanese and American companies. This excessive oversight could stifle R&D and hinder the development of exciting future models from these manufacturers.

[SuperGirl_Dad]

Originally Posted by abhiijithbhatn

In my humble opinion(bit unpopular) NHTSA and other government agencies are driving large-scale manufacturers toward bankruptcy with their heavy-handed approaches. Unless there are mass accidents, they should not interfere with premature failures. Between 2016 and 2020, 1.4 million cars are at risk of pushing manufacturers to the brink unless Honda offers warranties to customers.
This excessive oversight could stifle R&D and hinder the development of exciting future models from these manufacturers.

Wait, you dont seem to imply Car manufacturers should follow the Ford Pinto way of operation, do you?

Excerpt from Link

"Ford's conclusion, following the crash tests, was that the rear end structure of the car was not satisfactory because of several types of damage deformation of the gas tank, leakage and damage to the filler pipe. Suggested changes to repair the defects were not expensive, something in the range of $11 per car. A confidential company policy memo issued in late 1971, directed that no additional safety features be adopted for the 1973 and later cars until required by law.

A cost-benefit analysis prepared by Ford concluded that it was not cost-effecient to add an $11 per car cost in order to correct the flaws. Benefits derived from spending this amount of money were esteimated to be $49.5 million. This estimate assumed that each death which could be avoided would be worth $200,000, that each major burn injury that could be avoided would be worth $67,000 and that an average repair cost of $700 per car involved in a rear end accident would be avoided. It further assumed that there would be 2,100 burned vehicles, 180 serious burn injuries, and 180 burn deaths in making this calculation. When the unit cost was spread out over the number of cars and light trucks which would be affected by the design change, at a cost of $11 per vehicle, the cost was calculated to be $137 million, much greater then the $49.5 million benefit."

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by abhiijithbhatn

In my humble opinion(bit unpopular) NHTSA and other government agencies are driving large-scale manufacturers toward bankruptcy with their heavy-handed approaches. Unless there are mass accidents, they should not interfere with premature failures..

A remarkable opinion tao,say the least. Certainly on this forum.

I don’t agree with you. The NHTSA is doing what is their official mission:

Save lives, prevent injuries and reduce economic costs due to road traffic crashes, through education, research, safety standards and enforcement activity

The NHTSA is part of the US department of transportation.

So,it is doing what it has been given as a decreed by the American people.

It wants to make sure there are no other engine defects beyond the one targeted currently by Honda. A very appropriate approach.

I am not sure how you can even say we would have to wait for mass accidents? Any serious issues that can be prevented up front are worth checking out.

What would the world look like if we follow your opinion and wait for “mass accidents” before taking corrective action!

If I apply your logic to aviation and say the 737 Max, we would have seen at least several dozen of crashes before any action would be taken.

Each to its own, but I just can’t even begin to phatom why you would have such approach.

Jeroen

[abhiijithbhatn]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

The NHTSA is part of the US department of transportation.

So,it is doing what it has been given as a decreed by the American people.

I fully support NHTSA's efforts to ensure safety when it comes to critical issues like structural integrity, airbag functionality, and other core safety elements of vehicles. However, I believe that there are areas where the agency's actions may be exceeding its original mission, particularly when it comes to linking premature mechanical failures—such as crankshaft issues—with life-threatening safety concerns.

There also appears to be inconsistency in how these rules are enforced across different manufacturers, raising questions about potential double standards or even favoritism. Allegations of corruption and bias against NHTSA suggest that the agency may need significant reforms, something that could happen with new leadership under the Trump administration.

Punishing manufacturers with excessive recalls for non-critical issues has consequences. It leads to increased costs for automakers, which are inevitably passed on to consumers, pushing the price of cars higher. This limits access to newer, safer, and more environmentally friendly vehicles for the average American, who may instead be forced to buy older, less safe, and more polluting vehicles. In the long run, consumers will bear the burden of these policies.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by abhiijithbhatn

I fully support NHTSA's efforts to ensure safety when it comes to critical issues like structural integrity, airbag functionality, and other core safety elements of vehicles. However, I believe that there are areas where the agency's actions may be exceeding its original mission, particularly when it comes to linking premature mechanical failures—such as crankshaft issues—with life-threatening safety concerns.

There also appears to be inconsistency in how these rules are enforced across different manufacturers, raising questions about potential double standards or even favoritism.g vehicles. In the long run, consumers will bear the burden of these policies.

Again, you need to read their formal brief from Congress.mits not up to the NHTSA to decide what to pursue. It’s up to congress.

However, there have been some 8-9 audits done by the inspector general over the last 10-12 years. Each conclusie the NHTSA is ineffective.

Also, the USA never implemented the world forum for harmonisation of vehicle regulations. Too date American vehicle regulations and thus subsequent NHTSA is biased heavillyntoward US based car manufacturers.

The USA should adopt these world wide safety and cost policies. It would save the American consumers considerable money. This has been studied to death. It is a fact that US car safety standards are less than most. The same is true when it comes to their manufacturing and construction standards. Less safe and more expensive.

Under a Trump regime I don’t think there is even a remote chance of that happening.

So yes, the NHTSA needs a lot of reform. It can barely execute properly on its mandate from Congress. Also, it is congress and or the American government that decides on what the standards are.

Jeroen

[CrAzY dRiVeR]

Originally Posted by abhiijithbhatn

Punishing manufacturers with excessive recalls for non-critical issues has consequences.

Engine failures are considered as non-critical issues?

Wouldn't be far more cost effective to recall the cars than let the owners/brand suffer through the engine damage repair?

1450 warranty claims last year shows the issue isn't a petty one!

[abhiijithbhatn]

Originally Posted by CrAzY dRiVeR

Engine failures are considered as non-critical issues?

Wouldn't be far more cost effective to recall the cars than let the owners/brand suffer through the engine damage repair?

1450 warranty claims last year shows the issue isn't a petty one!

Warranty claims are different—they’re a contractual obligation by the manufacturer, in this case, Honda. My concern lies with situations involving vehicles that are no longer under warranty.

Engine failure is not inherently a critical safety issue. For instance, airbags failing to deploy during a collision is a clear safety concern, whereas engine failure is not. Importantly, there have been no reported injuries linked to the engine failure investigation involving Honda and Acura vehicles.

As Elon Musk once said, “If there are three referees in a football match, the game is interesting. If there are 30 referees on the same pitch, the game may be fair, but it will no longer be interesting.” Similarly, if agencies like NHTSA scrutinize every detail, including aspects like engine reliability, there’s a risk that manufacturers will shy away from producing exciting cars, innovative engines, transmission systems, or cutting-edge safety features.

Despite multiple studies showing that Tesla's Autopilot has saved more lives and prevented more injuries than it has caused, NHTSA has ensured that Level 4 Autopilot is not yet available to the public. Excessive oversight can stifle progress.