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Honda Odyssey recalled for windshield wiper problems

American Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have announced a recall of 2011 Honda Odyssey minivans over a concern of damage to the windshield wiper arm control assembly caused by trying to operate the wipers when they are frozen to the windshield.

While this problem is going to be far more common to northern residents of the United States, the freezing temperatures in the southern states this winter make this 2011 Honda Odyssey wiper recall pertinent to owners throughout a large portion of the country in the proper conditions. It should be pointed out that by cleaning your windshield off on those icy cold mornings, you can completely avoid the cause and effect of this Honda Odyssey recall, but even the most careful owners run into the occasional situation where you use the wipers to clear the windshield of snow and ice.

The problem with the 2011 Honda Odyssey wiper assembly is actually a portion that you cannot see. The windshield wipers are driven by a single motor with a system of linkages that drive the wiper arms. When the wiper arms are frozen to the windshield, the motor that drives the wiper assembly is strong enough to work against the bound-up wipers but the linkages are evidently not strong enough to deal with the abuse. Should the driver continue to try to force the wipers free by turning them on, the linkages can bend or be pulled out of the assembly. This means that the wiper relying on that linkage arm will not function at all.

This new 2011 Honda Odyssey recall affects 33,341 minivans and with just shy of 8,800 Odysseys sold in February 2011, 33,341 should be a pretty substantial group of the newest model year Honda minivans. While this problem presents a clear danger, drivers can avoid the problem completely by clearing off their windshields and making sure that the wipers are free prior to driving.

The new Odyssey recall is set to officially begin on April 14th, 2011 when owners will be asked to return with their Honda minivan to the dealership, where the faulty linkage rods will be replaced free of charge.

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