Honda Orders Dealers to Halt Sales of Certain Used Models until Airbag Problem is Solved

An airbag-related issue has made Honda tell its dealers to stop sales of certain used cars until a recall campaign to fix the defect is carried out.

Honda took the decision in spite of the fact that federal law requires automakers only to stop selling new cars when a recall campaign is issued, as it does not demand the same for used vehicles.

As reported by The New York Times, the defect airbag has been linked to two deaths and 18 injuries so far. The problem is that the driver’s airbag may deploy with so much force that it can send metal shards into the drivers.

In a service bulletin sent to Honda and Acura dealers about the recall, the automaker said: “Some vehicles affected by this campaign may be in your used vehicle inventory. These vehicles must be repaired before they are sold.”

Last month, Honda announced that its most recent airbag-related recall, the fourth since 2008 on the same problem, applied to the 2001-2002MY Honda Accord, 2001-2003MY Honda Civic and Odyssey, 2003 MY Honda Pilot, 2002-2003 MY Honda CR-V and the 2002-2003 MY Acura 3.2 TL and 2003 MY Acura 3.2 CL.

 

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Refreshed 2012 Honda Pilot Revealed in Detail

After a bit of a tease in late July, it's time for Honda to detail the changes on its 2012 Pilot SUV that has received a mild facelift as well as some mechanical and equipment upgrades.

So what’s new? Let’s start with the exterior. Up front, the most evident change is a new and more "politically correct" grille with a three-bar horizontal design that replaces the letter-box style six-sided grille insert.

The reconfigured headlights and turn signals, a new front air dam and optimized strakes in front of the wheels that improve aerodynamics, along with the fresh alloy wheel designs in sizes 17- or 18-inches round off the tweaks on the outside.

The front styling changes result in a slight increase in overall length (0.5 inches to 191.4 inches) while ground clearance stands at 7.97 inches, down slightly from 8.00 inches in the previous model.

Interior improvements include a different color theme for the instrument panel along with new graphics for the speedometer and tachometer gauges, a glossy black center panel for the audio controls that replaces the silver trim of the previous model, and a redesigned center stack that adds a U-shaped character line and different textures.

Honda added that changes to the body seam sealing around the unit-body connection points, and re-tuned rear suspension sub-frame mounts, result in lower noise levels in the passenger cabin.

For 2012, the Japanese carmaker also upgraded the audio systems on the EX and EX-L models to include a 2GB CD-Library (CD-L) and Bluetooth Audio Streaming, along with the addition of Bluetooth HandsFreeLink to those trim levels.

Under the hood, while it was expected that Honda might introduce a six-speed automatic transmission, the five-speed unit remains for the 2012 model year, as does the 250-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 engine.

However, combined improvements to the powertrain, chassis and vehicle aerodynamics result in a 1-mpg increase in City, a 2-mpg increase in Highway and a 2-mpg increase in Combined for both the 2WD (18/25/21 mpg) and 4WD (17/24/20 mpg) models over the 2011MY Pilot.

The 2012 Pilot is on sale now with prices starting from $28,470 not including an $810 destination charge ($29,280).

 



 

2012 Pilot Feature Change Summary

• All-new front fascia, grille and headlights


• New 18-inch aluminum wheels (17-inch styled steel on Pilot LX)


• Upgraded interior materials and revised instrument panel with new center stack layout


• Acoustic windshield glass (previously exclusive to Pilot EX-L and Touring)


• Upgraded audio and available navigation systems


• Improved EPA-estimated1 fuel economy (+1 mpg City/+2 mpg Highway/+2 mpg Combined)

Pilot LX adds:

• AAC audio file playback from data discs to the CD player

Pilot EX adds or replaces:

• 18-inch aluminum wheels and P235/60R18 all-season tires


• Bluetooth HandsFreeLink and Bluetooth audio streaming


• 2 GB CD Library (CD-L)

Pilot EX-L adds or replaces:

• Power tailgate


• Intelligent Multi-Information Display (i-MID) with QVGA resolution (includes backup camera display, album artwork display and user-loadable wallpaper function)


• USB Audio Interface

Pilot EX-L with Navigation adds or replaces:

• Upgraded navigation system with higher VGA resolution and 60-GB hard drive (includes 15 GB audio hard drive memory) and FM Traffic


• Song by Voice™


• Wide-view rearview camera with 3-mode display

Basic Specs:

• Engine: 3.5-liter 24-valve SOHC i-VTEC® V-6


• Horsepower: 250 hp @ 5,700 rpm


• Torque: 253 lb-ft. @ 4,800 rpm


• EPA-estimated1 fuel economy, City/Hwy/Comb.: 17/24/20 (4WD), 18/25/21 (2WD)


• Seating capacity: 8


• Passenger volume: 153.7 cu-ft.


• Cargo volume: 18.0 cu-ft. (minimum), 87.0 cu-ft. (maximum)


• Towing capacity: 4,500 lbs. (4WD), 2,000 lbs. (2WD)³


• Standard airbags: Driver's and front-passenger's dual-stage, multiple-threshold front airbags; driver's and front passenger's side airbags with passenger-side Occupant Position Detection System (OPDS); and 3-row side-curtain airbags with rollover sensor


• Standard Vehicle Stability Assist™ (VSA®) and an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake Distribution and Brake Assist

 

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