Honda's 3.5-litre V6 Once Again Under Investigation in the U.S.
U.S. authorities are once again looking into Honda's 3.5-litre V6, raising concerns about its reputation for dependability.
Just like it did in November of last year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is investigating approximately 1.4 million vehicles in the U.S. Affected models include the 2016-2020 Honda Pilot, 2017-2019 Ridgeline and 2017-2019 Odyssey, as well as the 2016-2020 Acura MDX and 2018-2020 TLX.
- Also: U.S. Authorities Probing 1.4 Million Honda Vehicles, 3.5L V6 Again to Blame
- Also: Premature Wear in Honda, Acura Engines Leads to Recall
A recall on these same five vehicles—with slightly different model years—was issued in November of 2023. It was found that the connecting rod bearings could wear prematurely and become damaged due to a manufacturing defect on the crankshaft, possibly causing the engine to fail. Nearly 30,000 units were part of the recall in Canada.
However, according to the NHTSA, new reports suggest the problem may be more widespread than initially thought and that the exact cause may be different. In addition to the 414 cases reported to the NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, 2,598 other incidents involving the 3.5-litre V6 have been brought to the attention of Honda's U.S. division. There have reportedly been seven crashes, some of which resulted in fires.
The investigation will help better assess the severity and scope of the defect. It is possible that other Honda and Acura vehicles equipped with the V6 may be affected, and that an additional recall may follow in the coming months. We will keep you posted.
Going farther back in time, the quintet listed above—2019 model year only (MDX: 2018-2019—was recalled to fix a bad timing belt that may cause the engine to stall. Honda dealers had to replace the belt on nearly 10,000 vehicles in Canada.
