Honda issues 2011 Civic fuel pump recall

American Honda has issued a recall for select 2011 Civic models over a concern with the fuel pump that could greatly increase the risks of fire in the event of a rollover accident.

The new Honda Civic fuel pump recall affects 18,056 units and while Honda hasn’t stated what specific details are required to be included in the new recall it should be kept in mind that the company sold just under 34,000 Civics in the first two months of the year – so it is a fairly substantial percentage of the 2011 model year vehicles.

The culprit in the new recall is the “roll-over valve” (ROV), which is an internal component of the vehicle’s fuel pump module. In the event of a rollover accident, this valve prevents gasoline from running out of the top of the tank through the openings intended for the evaporative system and fuel pump itself. Honda noticed during assembly that a portion of the ROV may have been damaged during shipping to the plant where the fuel pump module is built. This valves only purpose is to prevent fuel from running out when the car rolls so keeping the car on all 4 wheels should prevent any further issues from occurring but since there is a clear danger in the event of an accident, Honda is recalling these models back to the dealerships.

Based on how the possible defect was discovered, it would leave one to believe that the recent batch of Honda Civics built are affected by this problem so if you bought a Civic in the last few weeks, you may want to check with your local dealership to see if your 2011 Civic is included in the fuel pump recall.

The recall is expected to officially begin in April, at which point the owners of the 18,056 Honda Civics will be asked to return to the dealership where a certified Honda technician will remove, inspect and, if necessary, replace the fuel pump module if the roll-over valve shows any sign of damage.

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