According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a failed rearview image can reduce a driver’s ability to see behind the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash. Honda dealers will replace affected rearview cameras at no cost to owners, with notification letters expected to be mailed beginning August 24.
The action expands an earlier recall involving certain 2019 and 2020 Honda Odyssey vehicles. The newly announced recall is identified by the NHTSA as safety issue 26V423000 and covers a total of 325,588 vehicles.
Water Can Enter the Camera and Disable the Rearview Image
The problem centers on the rearview camera installed in affected Odyssey minivans. Water may enter the camera, causing the rearview image to fail to display when the vehicle is shifted into reverse.
According to the NHTSA recall notice, “Water may enter into the rearview camera, which can cause the rearview camera image to fail to display when the vehicle is in reverse.” The loss of that image reduces the driver’s view behind the vehicle and can increase the possibility of a crash.
The affected vehicles also fail to comply with requirements under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard, according to the information provided in the recall. The issue applies specifically to certain Honda Odyssey vehicles from model years 2018, 2019 and 2020.
The latest action expands a previous recall that covered certain 2019 and 2020 Odyssey vehicles. No additional vehicle models were identified as part of this specific camera-related recall in the supplied notices.
The rearview camera problem comes after other Honda recalls announced in recent months involving separate defects and vehicle models. More than 880,000 vehicles were recalled because a key rear suspension component could rust and fail, while nearly 99,000 vehicles were recalled over a defect that could lead to unintended airbag deployment during a crash.
Owners Can Receive a Free Camera Replacement From Honda Dealers
Owners of affected vehicles can take their Odyssey minivans to a Honda dealership, where the rearview camera will be replaced free of charge. The remedy is intended to address the possibility of water entering the camera and causing the image display to fail. According to the NHTSA information, owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on August 24. Those letters will inform affected owners about the recall and the available repair.
Owners who want further information may also contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda’s internal identification number for the recall is HOX, while the corresponding NHTSA safety issue identification number is 26V423000.
The recall applies to an estimated 325,588 Odyssey vehicles manufactured for model years 2018 through 2020. For drivers of those vehicles, the central concern is straightforward: water intrusion can disable the rearview camera image at the moment the vehicle is being reversed.
Honda’s remedy involves replacing the camera itself rather than charging owners for repairs. The replacement will be performed by dealers without cost to affected vehicle owners, according to the federal recall information.
The August 24 mailing is expected to formally notify owners covered by the expanded recall. Until then, the NHTSA identification number and Honda’s recall number provide references for those seeking information about whether their vehicle is included.
