Honda Recalls 2005-2006 Acura and Honda Vehicles for VSA Defect

Plain-English summary

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2005 Honda Pilot, 2005-2006 Acura MDX, and 2005 Acura RL vehicles. The recall involves a total of 183,576 vehicles. The affected vehicles were manufactured between July 29, 2004, and September 22, 2005, depending on the specific model.

The recall is due to a potential defect in the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) control module. An electrical capacitor may have been damaged during manufacturing, which can cause intermittent, automatic, minor brake application. In some cases, if the driver applies the brakes while the VSA is malfunctioning, the vehicle may come to an abrupt stop. Additionally, certain 2005 Pilot models have a loose ground connection that may cause the VSA system to apply partial brake force without illuminating the brake lights, regardless of whether the driver is using the brakes.

Sudden inadvertent braking, especially without brake light illumination, may increase the risk of a vehicle crash. Owners will be notified and instructed to take their vehicles to a dealer of their respective brand. The dealer will install a partial wiring harness containing a capacitor for the VSA modulator free of charge. For the affected 2005 Pilot models, the dealer will also tighten the ground connection. The recall began on April 22, 2013.

The recalled product

Product

ACURA, HONDA MDX, RL, PILOT

Brand

ACURA

Manufacturer

Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)

Category

Vehicle — SUV / Crossover

Hazard

• unintended-braking
• loss-of-control

Affected units

183,576

Is your product affected?

Check your packaging against the codes below. If any of them match, the product is part of this recall.

Distribution

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