American Honda Motor Co., Inc. has announced the recall of 344,000 Odyssey minivans and 68,000 Element small trucks in the United States for 2007-2008 model year vehicles. Consumer complaints have been issued to Honda regarding brake pedals that feel “soft,” or, that need to have enough pressure applied that the pedal is pressed almost to the floor before the vehicle is able to come to a halt.
Honda attributes its brake problems to air intrusion in affected vehicles’ modulators, and, an accumulation of air entering the system during the VSA self-check mode. The automaker said that the recall will allow them to modify the Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) modulators that may potentially cause “soft brake pedal,” or, “low brake pedal” condition symptoms to develop slowly overtime.
According to a ksby.com article, a Honda spokesperson reportedly stated that if the brake issue is not fixed, a motorist may experience a loss in braking power, which could result in an auto accident taking place. However, seeing that the auto parts required to fix the braking problem are not yet available, owners of vehicles affected by the recall have been told to wait until the end of April for a notification letter from Honda.
In addition to the customer complaints received by Honda, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced receiving reports of three collisions involving recalled Honda vehicles due to the braking problem. These crashes resulted in minor injuries, and, no deaths have been reported. However, it is uncertain at this time how many other auto accidents involving affected Honda vehicles may have been caused by this brake problem.
Brakes are a vital component of any motor vehicle. Auto manufacturers are responsible for designing and manufacturing vehicles that meet safety requirements and free of manufacturing and design defects that cause harm to motorists. At Blume Forte, our experienced New Jersey auto design defect attorneys have assisted those injured in accidents caused by faulty braking systems, dangerous car seats, defects in fuel tanks and fuel lines, defective seatbelts, and, vehicles that are not crashworthy. If you or a loved one has been injured in an auto accident involving a recalled Honda vehicle, or, any other defective automobile, contact us at 973-845-4421 for a no cost assessment of your potential products liability or personal injury claim.