Honda Recalls 800,000 Odysseys Over Tipping Second-Row Seats
So far, 46 minor injuries have been reported thanks to a middle row that’s at risk of tipping forward under braking.
Honda has announced a recall on approximately 800,000 Odyssey minivans over second-row seats that, if not latched down properly, are at risk of tipping forward under "moderate to heavy" braking—an issue not dissimilar to the one found in the Tesla Model X last month.
Affecting fourth-gen Odys produced for model years 2011-2017, the issue can arise if the van's middle row of seats are not secured properly after moving them side-to-side or reinstalling the middle seat. Not only does this pose a risk for the Honda minivan's middle-row occupants during unexpected red lights, but also increases the risk of injury in the event of a collision—problems compounded by the decent chance that the minivan's back-seat dwellers are children who don't weigh very much.
To date, Honda has apparently received 46 minor injury reports thanks to unlatched, second-row seats.
Honda has yet to come up with a permanent fix but until it does, owners of affected Odysseys are advised to take extra care in ensuring that their minivan's seats are latched down properly. The company has even released a step-by-step guide on how to do this with a video version coming soon. Affected owners will eventually be entitled to a repair, free of charge.
While notifications letters are set to go out in December, concerned owners of Honda's fourth-gen Odyssey can inquire about their vehicle's status on Honda's recall website right now.