Safety Recall: 2013-2015 Acura ILX & 2013 ILX Hybrid Driveshaft Failure

December 10, 2020 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 20V770000

Drive Shaft May Corrode and Fail

A broken drive shaft may cause a sudden loss of drive power. The vehicle could also roll away if the parking brake has not been applied before the vehicle has been exited. Either condition can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V770

Manufacturer Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Components POWER TRAIN

Potential Number of Units Affected 210,000

 

Summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2013-2015 Acura ILX, 2013 Acura ILX Hybrid, 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid, and 2007-2008 Honda Fit vehicles with a manual transmission and 2009-2014 Honda Fit vehicles originally sold, or ever registered, in Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. The drive shafts’ protective coating may not have been applied properly during manufacturing, making it more susceptible to damage from road salt, or other contaminants, and potentially cause it to break.

 

Remedy

Honda will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the drive shafts, replacing either the left or right drive shaft, if necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 1, 2021. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda’s numbers for this recall are E9B and A9A.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

 

Check if your Acura has a Recall

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Service Bulletin

B20-051
December 11, 2020
Version 1

Safety Recall: 2013-15 ILX and 2013 ILX Hybrid Driveshaft Failure

 

AFFECTED VEHICLES

Year	Model	Trim Level	VIN Range
2013-15	ILX	TBD	Check the iN VIN status for eligibility.
2013	ILX Hybrid	TBD	Check the iN VIN status for eligibility.

 

BACKGROUND

Due to improper manufacturing, the paint on the driveshaft may peel and chip over time, exposing the bare metal and potentially causing it to corrode. A corroded driveshaft can potentially break during high torque conditions rendering the vehicle unmoveable, or allow the vehicle to roll while in Park, which can increase the potential of a crash or injury.

If this temporary placeholder bulletin appears during an iN VIN status inquiry, the vehicle is subject to a safety recall. Any affected vehicles in your dealer inventory are on STOP SALE until further notice. Check for an iN message for further details.

Since the complete VIN information is in the process of being determined, the model listed under AFFECTED VEHICLES should be treated as a potentially affected vehicle at this time. Accordingly, American Honda is providing the verbiage below to facilitate service of these potentially affected vehicles. If a potentially affected vehicle arrives for service, you must advise them that their vehicle may be subject to a recall, and you must document that you advised them. The following suggested text should be included on the repair order. This information should be printed out completely any time service is conducted on a vehicle within the model/year range listed above. Once VIN specific information in available, the normal procedures under DOM 7.2.1 will apply for this recall.

 

Suggested verbiage to be included on the repair procedure:

“Client advised that:

The vehicle may be subject to one or more recalls affecting the driveshaft. The VIN information to identify the affected vehicles is currently unavailable. Once the affected VINs are identified, the registered owner of the vehicle will receive a notice to bring the vehicle in for replacement of the component.”

This bulletin will be updated once the VIN and Parts Information are available.

 

END

 

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December 10, 2020

 

Mr. Jeffrey Giuseppe
Associate Administrator for Enforcement
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Attn: Recall Management Division (NVS-215)
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590

 

Re:

Part 573, Defect Information Report
2013-2015 Model Year Acura ILX
2013 Model Year Acura ILX Hybrid
2012 Model Year Honda Civic Hybrid
2007-2014 Model Year Honda Fit
Drive Shaft

 

Dear Mr. Giuseppe:

In accordance with the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act and 49 CFR Part 573 Defect and Noncompliance and Responsibility Reports, Honda is submitting the enclosed Defect Information Report regarding a safety recall of certain 2013-2015 model year Acura ILX, 2013 model year Acura ILX Hybrid, 2012 model year Honda Civic Hybrid, and 20072014 model year Honda Fit vehicles to address a defect with the drive shaft.

 

If you have any questions about this report, please feel free to contact me.

 

Sincerely,

 

AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.

 

Jeff Chang
Senior Manager
Product Regulatory Office

 

JC:wt

 

Defect Information Report

 

573.6(c)(1)

Name of manufacturer:

Honda Automobile China Co., Ltd.
Honda Manufacturing of Indiana, LLC
Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

 

Manufacturer’s agent:

Jeff Chang
American Honda Motor Co., Inc.
1919 Torrance Blvd.
Torrance, CA 90501-2746

 

573.6(c)(2)

Identification of potentially affected vehicles:

Make/Model	Model Year	Dates of Manufacture	Number of Vehicles
Acura ILX	2013	TBD	TBD
Acura ILX	2014	TBD	TBD
Acura ILX	2015	TBD	TBD
Acura ILX Hybrid	2013	TBD	TBD
Honda Civic Hybrid	2012	TBD	TBD
Honda Fit	2007	TBD	TBD
Honda Fit	2008	TBD	TBD
Honda Fit	2009	TBD	TBD
Honda Fit	2010	TBD	TBD
Honda Fit	2011	TBD	TBD
Honda Fit	2012	TBD	TBD
Honda Fit	2013	TBD	TBD
Honda Fit	2014	TBD	TBD

 

Description of the basis for the determination of the recall population:

The recall population was determined based on manufacturing, sales, and vehicle registration records. The manufacturing range reflects all possible vehicles that could potentially experience the problem.

 

Description of how the vehicles being recalled differ from similar vehicles not included in the recall:

The recall is specific to vehicles sold or ever registered in the salt-belt region (Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin). There have been no reports of occurrences outside the salt-belt region.

Additional model-specific information as follows:

Acura ILX / ILX Hybrid	Honda Civic	Honda Fit
The 2014 – 2015 model year hybrid vehicles are not included in the recall as the drive shafts installed in these vehicles were from a different supplier.	The non-hybrid vehicles are not included in the recall as the vehicle layout protects the drive shaft from road debris.	Only 2007 – 2008 model year vehicles with an automatic transmission are included in the recall. Vehicles with a manual transmission are installed with drive shafts of a different design. All 2009 – 2014 model year vehicles are included in the recall regardless of transmission type.

 

Identification of affected component:         

Component: Drive Shaft Assy., R. Drive Shaft Assy., L.

Part No.:	2013-15	Acura ILX	44305-TX6-305	44306-TX6-315
	2013	Acura ILX Hybrid	44305-TR2-305	44306-TR2-305
	2012	Civic Hybrid
	2007-08	Honda Fit (AT)	44305-SLN-305 44305-SLN-L00	44306-SLN-305 44306-SLN-L00
	2009-14	Honda Fit (AT)	44305-TK6-305	44306-TK6-305
	2009-14	Honda Fit (MT)	44305-TK6-316	N/A  (different design)

Country of Origin: Japan

Manufacturer: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

 

573.6(c)(3)

Total number of potentially affected vehicles: TBD

 

 

573.6(c)(4)

Percentage of affected vehicles that contain the defect: 1%

 

573.6(c)(5)

Defect description:

The drive shafts’ protective coating application process may not allow the protective coating to properly adhere to the drive shaft installed in affected vehicles. A drive shaft with an improperly adhered protective coating is more susceptible to damage from road debris. In salt-belt states where de-icing agents are used to maintain the roadway, the de-icing agents could accumulate on the damaged areas of the drive shaft and corrode it. A corroded drive shaft could break under high torque application, and the engine will no longer propel the vehicle in any gear. The vehicle may also roll away if the parking brake has not been set (even if the gear selector had been placed in the Park position for vehicles with automatic/continuously variable transmission). Both conditions increase the risk of a crash or injury without prior warning.

 

573.6(c)(6)

Chronology:

September to November 2017

Honda received the first report of a broken drive shaft in an Acura ILX and launched an investigation.

 

February 2018

Honda identified that during drive shaft assembly, certain drive shafts were allowed to cool to room temperature due to equipment stoppage on the assembly line or were taken off-line for repairs. A running change was implemented to ensure all drive shafts remained at the specified temperature throughout the assembly process.

 

September to October 2018

Honda received another report of a broken drive shaft, which was the first report involving a Honda Fit. Honda continued its investigation.

 

July to December 2019

The investigation was expanded to include global support. Since the suspect population of vehicles were no longer covered under warranty, a parts collection activity was launched.

 

April to October 2020

Data from the parts collection activity was analyzed to understand the factors resulting in a broken drive shaft and the expected longevity of in-market parts. The analysis concluded that the broken drive shafts were allowed to cool to a temperature below specification prior to application of the protective coating. The reduced temperature decreased the protective coating’s adhesion, increasing the likelihood of damage and corrosion. Occurrences were also limited to drive shafts utilizing a shear-type dynamic damper, which are more susceptible to corrosion from de-icing agents.

 

December 3, 2020

Honda determined that a defect related to motor vehicle safety existed and decided to conduct a safety recall.

 

As of November 24, 2020, Honda has received 152 warranty claims, 10 field reports, and no reports of crashes or injuries related to this issue.

 

573.6(c)(8)(i)

Program for remedying the defect:

Depending on the parts availability, registered owners of some affected vehicles will be contacted by mail and asked to take their vehicle to an authorized Acura or Honda dealer. The dealer will inspect both left and right drive shafts for corrosion-related protective coating deformities near the drive shaft’s dynamic damper. If there are deformities near the dynamic damper (40mm for Honda Civic Hybrid and Fit, 50mm for Acura ILX and ILX Hybrid), the drive shaft will be replaced for free. Drives hafts that do not meet the 40mm/50mm requirement will not be replaced as it is estimated the drive shafts will not break for the remaining expected life of the vehicle.

Registered owners of affected vehicles that have limited parts availability will be notified in an interim notification that the parts necessary to repair their vehicles are currently unavailable.  Honda will send a second notification when parts become available, and the dealer will inspect/repair the vehicles for free.

Owners who have paid to have these repairs completed at their own expense will be eligible for reimbursement, in accord with the recall reimbursement plan on file with NHTSA.

 

573.6(c)(8)(ii)

The estimated date to start notification to dealers: December 11, 2020

The estimated date to start notifications to owners:   February 1, 2021

 

573.6(c)(10)

Representative copies of all notices, bulletins and other communications:

A copy of the dealer service bulletin, the final customer notification letter, and other dealer communications will be submitted to your office as soon as possible.

A draft of the owner notification letter will be submitted to your office as soon as possible.

 

573.6(c)(11)

Manufacturer’s campaign number:

E9B:  Acura ILX and ILX Hybrid (placeholder)

A9A:  Honda Civic Hybrid and Fit (placeholder)

 

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13 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKE	MODEL	YEAR
ACURA	ILX	2013-2015
ACURA	ILX HYBRID	2013
HONDA	CIVIC HYBRID	2012
HONDA	FIT	2007-2014

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8 Associated Documents

Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V770-3935.pdf 27.555KB

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Miscellaneous Document – Part 573, Defect Information Report

RMISC-20V770-2983.pdf 371.836KB

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Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-20V770-5221.PDF 228.275KB

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Stop Sale/Safety Recall: 2013-2015 Accord, 2012 Civic Hybrid, 2007-2013 Fit Driveshaft Failure

RCMN-20V770-3726.pdf 196.428KB

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Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-20V770-5066.pdf 636.33KB

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Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc) – Stop Sale/Safety Recall: 2013-2015 ILX and 2013 ILX Hybrid Driveshaft Failure

RCMN-20V770-1945.pdf 193.553KB

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Remedy Instructions and TSB

RCRIT-20V770-5597.pdf 37.621KB

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Recall 573 Report – Amendment 1

RCLRPT-20V770-6416.PDF 228.392KB

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Latest Recalls Documents

https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/acms/cs/documentList.xhtml?docId=20V770&docType=RCL

For the most up to date documents from NHTSA for this Recall, click the lick above

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Last update on 2021-01-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API