Honda announced a recall of nearly 304,000 Accord and HR-V vehicles due to a possible seat belt defect. Honda said that the seat belt buckle switches on the front passenger seats in the affected cars may become stuck in the latched position, making it difficult for people to unbuckle their seat belt. This could increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Honda says the recall is being conducted to ensure the safety of its customers. This recall affects certain models of the 2018 and 2019 Honda Accord and the 2019 HR-V. Honda says it notified the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the issue on March 12, 2020.
If you own a vehicle affected by the recall, you will be contacted by Honda and urged to schedule a repair appointment to get the seat belt buckle switch replaced. Honda will replace the switch at no charge to the customer. Honda advises customers to use their seat belt, even if the buckle switch is stuck, until a replacement can be installed.
The Honda Accord and HR-V are two of Honda’s best-selling and most popular vehicles, so this recall affects a large number of drivers. Though the defect is serious and could cause injury, Honda is doing the responsible thing by contacting owners immediately and replacing the defective parts. Honda is proving their commitment to customer safety with this recall.