Honda recalls 1.2 million cars over faulty rear-view camera cable

Honda has issued a recall for around 1.2 million units of Odyssey, Pilot, and Passport models to replace a defective co-axial cable that connects the rear-view camera module to the infotainment panel. Although recalls are common in the automotive industry, it is rare to see over a million vehicles being recalled at the same time. Luckily, there is no fire risk involved.

Why does this story matter?

Based out of Tokyo, Japan, Honda is a multinational automaker renowned for producing some of the most reliable and efficient cars and bikes. However, the company has now issued a massive recall for 1,198,280 units of select car models to address a faulty cable issue. While the fault is of low risk in nature, it could still prove problematic to customers in everyday use.

What exactly is the problem? 

According to Honda, there is an issue with the Media Oriented Systems Transport (MOST) coaxial cable, that connects the rear-view camera module to the infotainment panel. The carmaker claims that this cable was "improperly designed and manufactured" and it can cause the screen to flicker or go completely blank when the camera is engaged. While there is no fire risk, it can be problematic.

Which models have been affected?

As per Honda, 1,198,280 units of the Odyssey (from 2018 to 2023), Pilot (from 2019 to 2022), and Passport (from 2019 to 2023) models are affected by the defective cable issue. The carmaker has already notified its dealers to connect with the owners for verification.

How does Honda plan to rectify the fault?

Once the fault is verified by a dealership, Honda will replace the bad cable with a new one, along with a straightening cover to keep it lined up and protected. According to the automaker, 50% of the 1.2 million vehicles recalled could have a faulty cable. Although losing the rear-view camera while backing out can be dangerous, no injuries have been reported so far.

Other issues faced by Honda this year

Apart from the defective cable issue, Honda had previously issued recalls for 330,000 units of the Odyssey, Pilot, and Passport in March to rectify faulty ORVM glass. Other models such as CR-V, Insight, and Accord were also called back for subframe and seatbelt-related problems.