Seat Belt Issue Leads to Accord, HR-V Recall

Honda is recalling select 2023-24 Accord and HR-V vehicles due to a missing piece in the front seat belt pretensioners, a problem that could increase injury risks during a crash. According to notices published by Honda and the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration this week, the pretensioners—which tighten seat belts in place upon impact—may be missing the rivet that secures the quick connector and wire plate. This means that passengers may not be properly restrained in a crash, regulators said. The NHSTA credited the issue to an error made during assembly. More than 300,000 Accords and HR-Vs are potentially affected, the AP reports.

As of Nov. 16, Honda had received seven warranty claims but no reports of injuries or deaths related to the faulty pretensioners, according to documents published by the NHSTA. For consumers impacted by this recall, dealers will inspect all cars and potentially replace the seat belt pretensioner assembly at no cost. Those who have already paid for these repairs may also be eligible for reimbursement. Honda estimates that less than 1% of the potentially affected vehicles will require a replacement. The vast majority are expected to be satisfied by an inspection alone, a Honda spokesperson told the AP on Saturday. Notification letters are set to be sent via mail to registered owners of the affected vehicles starting Jan. 8. Replacement parts should to be available to dealers by the end of the month, the spokesperson said, but consumers can go to a Honda dealer for the inspection now.

(More Honda recall stories.)