Defective Honda Odyssey Minivans Recalled, Brakes Could Fail

Washington, DCTo give Honda its due, the carmaker is known for making a quality product. However no manufacturer of vehicles is immune to hiccups that result in an auto defect. Consumers, especially given the present-day costs to acquire a vehicle, are in constant fear of getting a defective car. A defective automobile is not only frustrating, it can also be unsafe.

Such is the case with a collection of 2009 Honda Odyssey minivans, hundreds of which have been recalled for a potential brake problem.

You don't want to mess with a braking system. The capacity to slow the vehicle, or to stop is the most important safety feature of all. Imagine the possibility of the brakes failing?

Brake failure is indeed a possibility with the recalled Odyssey minivans, which number 421. A faulty brake hose is the culprit. According to Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) incorrect hoses were installed on the vehicles during assembly. The concern is that the hose can come in contact with the brake caliper bolt, resulting in a hole wearing through the hose over time.

Such a breach would allow brake fluid to slowly leak out. Owners of the defective automobile would not be aware of the slow leak until the day they go to apply the brakes and discover the brakes don't work. Period. Imagine hurtling down a mountainous road, stepping on the brakes and find that nothing happens?

Honda says it has issued recall notices to all 421 owners of the affected vehicles, but invites all owners of 2009 Honda Odyssey minivans to contact the company to determine if their vehicle is one of the vehicles recalled.

It was not revealed as to why only 421 vehicles were targeted. Perhaps that represents the number of vehicles that received the incorrect brake hoses before the problem was discovered and corrected. Perhaps that number represents the total number of vehicles sold? Given an economy that has seen a dramatic drop in new vehicle sales, such an observation would not be far-fetched.

Whatever the circumstance, one would hope that beyond correcting the problem at the factory the manufacturer digs a little deeper to determine just what caused the mix-up in the first place.

After all, the braking system is not the same thing as an intermittent rattle in the dash, or the plastic edge of a taillight not quite lining up with the sheet metal. The braking system is one of the most important features on the vehicle, integral to its operation and vital to the safety of not only its occupants but also others on the road.

The Honda recall was initiated February 12th.

As the automotive industry as a whole continues to re-invent itself in the wake of an unprecedented economic downturn, it will be interesting to see if we note an upswing in auto defects, or improved quality control. Automakers are in a Catch-22. They need to deliver the goods in order to entice buyers reluctant to part with their cash—and safer, more fuel-efficient vehicles appear to be the key.

At the same time however manufacturers need to improve the efficiency of their operations to survive, yet still maintain quality. It will be interesting to see if the defective automobile survives or flourishes in such an environment. The defective car needs to go, once and for all.