The problem
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain 2017 Honda Civic Hatchback and Civic Type R vehicles. Driver and front passenger seatback pads sold as replacement service parts were made without slit openings for the seat-mounted side air bags. In the event of a crash necessitating air bag deployment, the seatback pad would interfere and adversely affect air bag performance. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 214, "Side Impact Protection."
The risk
If the seat-mounted air bags cannot not deploy correctly in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury.
The fix
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front seatback pads, free of charge. The recall began June 15, 2018. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's number for this recall is E1D, U1B, and X1C.
Contacts
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
What to do
- Check your VIN. Enter it at nhtsa.gov/recalls - it shows whether this recall applies to your vehicle and whether the repair has been done.
- Call a dealer. Any authorized Honda dealer will do the repair free, whether or not you bought the vehicle there. Quote campaign 18V266000.
- Ask about parts and a loaner. If parts aren't available yet, ask what to do in the meantime.
- Keep your paperwork. If you paid for this repair before the recall, you may be able to get reimbursed - here's how.