Honda appears to weather quality issues

Are cracks showing in Honda's legendary quality and reliability?

If so, consumers appear to be looking past them for now.

On one hand, some of Honda's core vehicles are getting lower grades than they once did on key industry report cards, such as J.D. Power's Initial Quality Study and Consumer Reports' reliability scores.

For example, the Honda Odyssey, while praised for its refinement and fuel economy by Consumer Reports, sits at the bottom of the minivan segment in reliability, according to the magazine, dogged by complaints about in-vehicle electronics.

Honda has also battled to stay above water in the J.D. Power Initial Quality Study, because of reliability problems stemming from its reworked infotainment systems. The brand hasn't scored above the industry average since 2015.

Honda also has had complaints about stalling and reduced power output for 2017 and 2018 CR-Vs with the 1.5-liter turbo engine because of fuel improperly mixing with oil, a problem numerous owners reported to Consumer Reports. Honda said the problem appeared in CR-Vs driven for short distances during extreme cold weather, which could cause an abnormal level of oil dilution as higher-than-expected amounts of unburned fuel mix with engine oil, increasing the oil level. In extreme cases, Honda said the excessive oil levels could result in an engine misfire. A recent Wards Auto report said 143,000 2016-18 Civics could face the same issue.

Meanwhile, recalls have piled up in recent years, including a bizarre recall of late-model Ridgeline pickups because of a fire risk involving car wash soap.

"When you look at the reliability of Honda and Acura, they have slid over the last several years," said Jake Fisher, director of auto testing at Consumer Reports. "That is a concern for a manufacturer that has a reputation for bulletproof reliability. Traditionally, Toyota and Honda have been known as the best reliable vehicles. I think Honda has gone off course a bit."

On the other hand, Fisher notes, reliability problems aren't so unusual on newly redesigned vehicles or innovative powertrains as kinks are worked out. And Honda is dealing with a lot of those, having overhauled its lineup since 2015.

Fisher said Honda is adopting 10-speed automatic transmissions and small-displacement turbo engines, while Toyota has mostly avoided them.

Through it all, Honda's reputation among consumers appears largely unscathed. J.D. Power has found that Honda's consumer loyalty in the last five years, even amid the Takata airbag crisis, has remained among the top three in the industry.

Honda discovered during the most intense years of the Takata recall, from 2014 to 2016, that customer trust rose. Honda was the most widely affected by that deadly defect, which caused airbag inflators to explode and spray shrapnel when deployed. But it was also the most aggressive in publicizing the recall, seeking out unrepaired vehicles and their owners and securing replacement inflators.

Honda spokesman Chris Martin said as long as recalls occur, the company's strategy is to be as transparent as possible. "I've looked closely over the years at what recalls do to our brand perception," said Martin, who focuses on recall and legal issues. "Basically, they actually help it. Customers tend to appreciate at least our strategy of being very transparent and front-footed in trying to resolve problems upfront."

Martin said better tracking systems have enabled Honda to identify trends faster than before. This can result in recalls for models that just hit the market.

A few years won't be enough to derail Honda's image, says Dave Sargent, vice president of global automotive at J.D. Power. People continue to buy Hondas in large numbers, without heavy incentives, because of the enduring perception of reliability, he said, and that remains the attribute most associated with the brand.

Even so, he said, Honda can't afford to let product annoyances linger. He considers J.D. Power's 2019 Vehicle Dependability Study, which examines problems after three years of ownership, a low point for Honda. The latest study measured the number of problems experienced during the past 12 months by original owners of 2016 vehicles. Honda, which introduced the redesigned Civic and Pilot that year, registered 146 problems per 100 vehicles, 10 more than the industry average.

Sargent said Honda has been beset by glitches with Bluetooth technology and voice recognition that have perplexed the industry.

"Some people will give them a pass," he said. "Some will say, 'You know what, maybe I'll get a Toyota or a Hyundai or Chevy.' ... They may lose some people, and if it continues, that's a concern. You don't want to start to get a reputation for poor reliability."

The launch of the redesigned 2018 Accord was an improvement for Honda, and Sargent thinks the brand is getting back on the right path. Its problems in the Initial Quality Study have declined in each of the last two reports.

"If they turn this around pretty quickly, and the signs are that they probably will. I think it'll be OK in the long run," Sargent said.

Mike LaFontaine, a Honda dealer in Dearborn, Mich., said that judging by national sales figures, he doesn't believe recalls have affected Honda's image over the years. Honda sales are roughly flat through February, while Acura is up 11 percent.

"We're asking the car to do a lot more than it ever did before," he said. "I don't see that any kind of recalls have affected the consumer's understanding of Honda's quality."

Another Midwest dealer agreed. "I think people are happy that we're getting them taken care of," the dealer said. "I'm sure [the recalls have] to be driving these engineers absolutely crazy, because they take pride in their work."