Honda initiates new year safety recall for Odyssey minivan

According to USA Today and others: In the name of precautionary safety measures, Honda announced a second row seat related safety recall for Odyssey, the # 1 selling minivan in North America.

Not to worry, your Odyssey is as safe as it was yesterday. Here’s the problem: And I’m assuming that this intermittent glitch was caught through dealership warranty claims, it’s ‘possible’ that the 2nd row seating can shift in the event of a traffic accident -- due to an unwittingly unlocked seat to floor latch.

According to Nathan Bomey of USA Today: "The Japanese automaker reported to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that the defect involves a release lever that may remain in the unlocked position unintentionally and allow the seats to move unexpectedly.

NHTSA said in a document released Wednesday on its website that the flaw "increases the risk of injury to the seat occupant during a crash."

Honda told NHTSA in a defect report that it had not received any reports of injuries linked to the flaw. But the company had received 689 warranty claims as of Dec.16.

Honda dealers will install an additional bracket and spring to the second-row seats for free to rectify the defect, writes Bomey.

634,000 units manufactured between 2011 through 2016

In short: Honda will initially contact the first round of Odyssey owners included in this recall by mail beginning in February 2017. Honda further states that parts required for the associated repair will become available in the spring of 2017.

As a fellow Odyssey driver, I kindly suggest a second eye and hand check of the seat lock after removing and resetting, or tilting the second row seat forward for cargo and kid access. It just takes a minute! At the end of the day, Odyssey remains the #1 selling minivan in North America -- it’s that good.

For more information of this recall go here