This latest investigation into Honda vehicles hasn’t prompted a recall yet.
More than half a million 2022 and 2023 Honda CR-V, Civic and Acura Integra units could have a serious steering issue. After well over 100 complaints from consumers laying out the problem as increased steering effort and “sticky steering” while driving, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began looking into the issue. Per its latest report dated November 29, 2023, the affected population of vehicles has expanded to at least 532,535 units. Back in March, the probe initially focused on just over 238,000 examples of the eleventh-generation Honda Civic.
“ODI [Office of Defects Investigation] complaint traffic remains steady,” the agency notes in its latest report. In total, NHTSA investigators received at least 1,324 complaints about the issue, and has data of at least 14 crashes — three of which caused injuries. Since the investigation covers 2022 and 2023 model years of the Honda CR-V, Civic and Acura Integra, most of the problems are occurring when the vehicles still have low mileages.
11 of the 14 incidents allege drivers left the roadway entirely after losing steering control and not being able to overcome the sudden increased effort. Two of those 11 claim an overcorrection led to an accident.
In acknowledging the issue, Honda says the sticky steering problem comes from a manufacturing defect within the steering gear. The manufacturing process, it says, increased internal stress within the unit, causing wear to the point where the “worm gear” can catch, causing the momentary increase in required steering effort. That process also did not guarantee the affected steering components were consistently greased. Some vehicles in the affected population suffer from too little lubrication within the steering gear, again making it more likely the gear will unexpectedly catch after accelerated wear.
The condition does not trigger a warning light, and the complaints allege some Honda dealer technicians are unable to recreate the problem, or “state this is a normal vehicle operation.” However, the NHTSA notes Honda did release a service bulletin (23-037) in July 2023, directing dealers to replace the electronic power steering gearbox with a new one, if the customer complains of this condition. That said, the automaker has not yet issued a full-scale recall to check and replace defective parts on the half-million impacted vehicles.
For the time being, NHTSA investigators say they opened an engineering analysis into the “scope, frequency and potential safety related consequences of the momentary increase in steering effort.” If that report notes a widespread defect, then it could request Honda instigate a recall campaign, if the automaker doesn’t take action beforehand.
