Honda said Friday it was recalling 646,000 vehicles worldwide due to a window problem, dealing a fresh blow to Japanese automakers’ reputation for quality as Toyota expanded its own massive recall.
Honda said the move covers Fit/Jazz cars made between 2002 and 2008 in Japan, China, Brazil, Thailand, Malaysia and India.
“Under some severe operating conditions, water, rain, or other liquid may enter the driver’s window and reach the master power window switch resulting in impaired function of the switch,” Honda UK said in a statement.
“If the master power window switch is damaged as a result of the liquid intrusion, it may result in failure of the switch and overheating. An overheating switch may cause smoke, melting or, potentially, fire.”
Honda said that about 10 percent of the cars recalled would need a replacement switch, with the remainder requiring installation of a waterproof skirt to prevent further water entry.
The move comes as Toyota recalls millions of vehicles in the United States due to a faulty accelerator pedal. On Friday Toyota said it would recall “up to 1.8 million vehicles” covering eight different models from European markets.
The spread of Toyota’s recall action to Europe and China severely impairs the world number one’s coveted reputation for quality.
Toyota said parts supplier CTS had begun making pedals based on a new design that resolved the problem and the two firms were testing a remedy that will be rolled out “as quickly as possible” for cars already on the road.
Toyota was believed to be putting the finishing touches to a repair whereby it would insert a “spacer” in the pedal mechanism in order to increase the tension in a spring and reduce the risk of sticking.
Toyota is recalling 2.3 million automobiles in the United States due to the risk of the accelerator pedal becoming stuck in a partially depressed position.
It is also recalling almost 5.3 million US vehicles — equivalent to more than two-thirds of its 2009 global sales — to replace floor mats that could trap accelerator pedals.
Toyota’s shares suffered another drop Friday, closing down 1.96 percent at 3,490 yen. The shares have plunged about 14 percent this week on fears the company’s profits and vaunted safety record will be tarnished by the problems.
Toyota raced past US giant General Motors in 2008 to become the world’s top-selling automaker, but has been bedevilled by a series of safety issues that have raised questions about whether it sacrificed quality for quantity.
A key US House of Representatives panel said Thursday it would hold a hearing on the accelerator issues on February 25.
The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has found that sudden acceleration events in Toyota vehicles have led to 19 deaths in the past decade, nearly twice the number of deaths associated with similar events in cars manufactured by all other automakers combined, the committee said.
Ford said Thursday it was suspending production of a commercial vehicle sold in China that uses a pedal part made by CTS, the same US firm that makes pedals for Toyota, though based on the Japanese company’s own design specifications.
