Honda To Recall 412,000 Vehicles

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Honda announced a recall of its popular Odyssey minivan, including model years 2007 and 2008. (Honda)

Honda Motor Co. will recall 412,000 vehicles in the United States, according to a statement made by the Japanese automaker today. The recall covers 344,000 Odyssey minivans and 68,000 Element SUVs from the 2007 and 2008 model years.

Honda announced the recall to address potential issues with the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) modulator. Over time, brake pedals on the affected models may feel soft and slip down closer to the floor.

“Some VSA modulators were assembled in a manner that could allow air intrusion, making it possible for air to enter the modulator during the VSA self-check mode,” the company said in a statement to media.

“While only a miniscule amount of air can enter the system during each check, over a period of months or years, the air will accumulate and can result in the ‘soft brake pedal’ or ‘low brake pedal’ condition symptoms associated with this issue.”

The recall was announced to address customer complaints regarding the issue.

“My 2007 Honda Odyssey brakes are too soft,” read one complaint filed to the NHTSA. “I need to put extra pressure to bring the vehicle to a stop. Brakes have to be depressed all the way to the floor to stop...”

According to Honda spokesman Chris Martin, several crashes and three minor injuries have been reported that cited the problem.

The automaker announced the recall to encourage owners of the affected vehicles to see an authorized dealer as soon as they receive notification. Honda said that customers will receive notifications at the end of April.

“Although not all vehicles being recalled are affected by this issue, we are recalling all possible units to assure all customers that their vehicles will perform correctly,” said Honda.

“When Honda identifies concerns of this nature, nothing is more important to the company than fulfilling our obligation and responsibility to alert our customers.”

Owners of affected vehicles can contact their dealer or Honda directly by going to www.recalls.honda.com or calling (800) 999-1009.

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Toyota Recall Deals

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Just like old times, auto industry giants General Motors and Toyota are slugging it out -- this time with some of the biggest sales incentives in history.

The prize is the soul of the Toyota owner. Since January, General Motors, Chrysler, Ford and even Hyundai have cranked up incentives and advertising to capitalize on Toyota’s recall woes. Now, after a free-for-all lasting more than a month, it’s primarily Toyota and GM trading blows in an all-out incentives battle.

> In Pictures: 12 Great Deals

Both automakers are spending huge sums on rebates and special interest rates. But GM is doling out bigger incentives targeting Toyota owners exclusively.

Still, the overall size of the Toyota campaign is unprecedented. The automaker is offering you thousands of dollars’ worth of 0% deals on virtually every vehicle in its line-up -- whether you are a Toyota owner or not. Rebates are available as well. The terms may vary from region to region -- so see your Toyota dealer for details.

The incentives are giving a boost to key vehicles -- including the Camry, Corolla, Highlander, Matrix, and RAV4 models listed here -- involved in the latest accelerator-related recalls. (They haven’t involved the Yaris, Toyota’s subcompact.)

After halting sales of the affected models in late January, Toyota began repairing its stock of unsold units and started selling them again in early February. It described the repair for the most serious problem -- the sticking accelerator -- as a thirty-minute fix.

That hasn’t stopped rival dealerships from taking advantage of the situation over the past few weeks. In January, for instance, a Maryland Ford dealership was offering a $500 bonus for any Toyota traded in on a new Ford. In another example, Rick Bokman Buick Cadillac GMC in Olean, N.Y. went out on Facebook earlier this month to announce the latest round of special rebates for Toyota owners.

At first, the Japanese automaker seemed content to air TV commercials thanking customers for their loyalty. But now it’s reaching into its deep pockets and fighting back hard.

Strictly for the first two weeks of March, the Japanese automaker offered returning Toyota customers $500, over and above incentives already at historic highs. And for the entire month, Toyota has sweetened its deals with free maintenance for two years/25,000 miles. They are exclusively available to Toyota owners.

GM dealerships meanwhile are giving Toyota and Lexus owners a warm welcome. Owners can get up to $1,000 cash back to help with lease termination costs no matter what GM vehicle they buy or lease.

Or customers can choose a rebate option: An extra $1,000 is available on most GM vehicles.

Meanwhile, Ford has stepped back from the fray, and two other heavyweights, Honda and Nissan, chose not to enter it in the first place. But thanks to the push from Toyota, incentives have been higher for March across the board.

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