Honda recalls 800,000 minivans

Honda said it's recalling about 900,000 Odyssey minivans from the 2011 through 2017 model years in North America because second-row seats can come loose in "moderate to heavy braking." Some 800,000 of those are in the United States. The issue relates to the second-row seating system's ability to move from side to side. The system is designed to make seating comfortable for two adults or to fit up to three child seats in the second row, for example. The seats have the option of being latched in either a "standard" or "wide" outboard position. But if they're improperly latched, the seats could come loose and jerk forward.

Honda said it has received 46 reports of "minor injuries" related to the issue. The company said it's looking into the appropriate repair to ensure proper latching and will let Odyssey owners know when that fix is available. In the meantime, Honda has published detailed instructions on how to properly install and latch the second-row seats. It warns owners to be sure not to latch on to the center part of the floor strikers, where they could improperly latch on to a collar or a rib on the floor, as shown below.

Honda said recall notifications will go out in the mail in late December. Owners can see if their Odysseys are affected at www.recalls.honda.com or by calling 888–234–2138. Aside from the 800,000 in the United States, 69,000 of the recalled vehicles are in Canada, 28,000 are in Mexico, and about 2000 were sold outside of North America, a company spokesman said.

This latest recall is unrelated to one that began in February, when Honda recalled 633,753 Odysseys from the 2011 through 2016 model years to fix a second-row release lever that could stay unlocked and cause the seats to move unexpectedly. A company spokesman said vehicles that have not yet been fixed under the earlier recall will require both repairs.