NHTSA Complaint #11078606 — 2013 HONDA CR-V

THE VEHICLE INTERMITTENTLY BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER AT LOW SPEEDS AND THE STEERING INDICATOR LIGHT WOULD COME ON FOR SHORT PERIODS OF TIME. THIS NEARLY RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE OWNER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT HE COULD NOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM. THE TECHNICIAN THEN ADVISED THE OWNER TO CONTINUE DRIVING THE VEHICLE TO SEE IF THE PROBLEM WOULD RECUR. THE OWNER FOUND THIS ADVICE TO BE UNACCEPTABLE AND QUESTIONED WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN IF THE PROBLEM RECURRED. THE TECHNICIAN THEN ELEVATED THE ISSUE TO THE MANAGER, WHO WAS ABLE TO ISOLATE A TROUBLE CODE. THE OWNER WAS INFORMED THAT NO ONE AT THE DEALERSHIP KNEW WHAT THE TROUBLE CODE MEANT, AND THAT THE DEALER WOULD HAVE TO CONSULT WITH HONDA CORPORATE FOR GUIDANCE. THE OWNER WAS THEN INFORMED THAT HONDA CORPORATE RECOMMENDED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE POWER STEERING RACK. THIS REPAIR WAS PERFORMED AT SIGNIFICANT COST TO THE OWNER. NEITHER THE TROUBLESHOOTING PROCESS NOR THE ASSOCIATED TROUBLE CODE WERE RECORDED ON THE WORK DOCUMENTATION PRESENTED TO THE OWNER. THE VEHICLE STEERING FELT STIFF AFTERWARDS, THEN TWICE EXHIBITED A FAILURE MODE IN WHICH THE STEERING INDICATOR LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING SYSTEM APPEARED TO HIT A PREMATURE HARD STOP PART WAY INTO A LOW-SPEED TURN, FORCING THE VEHICLE WIDE. BOTH OF THESE INCIDENTS NEARLY RESULTED IN ACCIDENTS, BUT THE OWNER QUICKLY SPUN THE STEERING WHEEL TOWARDS CENTER, THEN BACK INTO THE DIRECTION OF THE TURN. THE PROCESS OF RE-CENTERING THE STEERING WHEEL APPEARED TO TEMPORARILY CLEAR THE PREMATURE HARD STOP, AND THE OWNER WAS ABLE TO COMPLETE THE TURN. THESE INCIDENTS OCCURRED DURING LOW-SPEED TURNS (ROUGHLY 10MPH) ON LOCAL STREETS AND PARKING LOTS IN THE AUSTIN AREA. REPAIR INVOICE FOR THE POWER STEERING RACK AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST. THIS COMPLAINT WAS FILED BY A FAMILY REPRESENTATIVE ON BEHALF OF THE OWNER.