NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation

Engineering Analysis EA03-017: IGNITION-PARK INTERLOCK

Closed

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation opened Engineering Analysis EA03-017 on September 9, 2003 and closed it on December 17, 2003. NHTSA's investigations file lists the 1998–2001 Honda Accord for it and links recall 03V-423 to it.

Updated daily from NHTSA's investigations file

Key facts

NHTSA number: EA03-017 (also written EA03017)
Investigation type: Engineering Analysis A more detailed stage of a defect investigation, opened when NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation decides an issue merits further review, often after a Preliminary Evaluation or a Recall Query; it can include vehicle testing, surveys and further information requests.
Status: Closed December 17, 2003
Opened: September 9, 2003
Closed: December 17, 2003
Vehicle or equipment manufacturer: Honda (American Honda Motor Co.)
Components: Electrical System — Ignition — Switch; Power Train — Automatic Transmission — Gear Position Indication (PRNDL)
Recall linked by NHTSA: 03V-423: HONDA/IGNITION SWITCH, reported October 27, 2003
Vehicles and equipment: 1998–2001 Honda Accord

NHTSA's summary

As NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation wrote it for Engineering Analysis EA03-017.

SIX OF THE ODI COMPLAINTS ARE DUPLICATIVE OF HONDA COMPLAINTS, AS WELL AS FOUR OF THE CRASHES.THE ONE INJURY OCCURRED WHEN A ROLLAWAY VEHICLE STRUCK THE EXITING OPERATOR WHO HAD INADVERTENTLY PARKED THE VEHICLE IN AN UNSECURED STATE (NOT IN PARK, BRAKE NOT ENGAGED).

HONDA IDENTIFIED THE WARRANTY CLAIMS FROM COMPLAINT DESCRIPTIONS THAT CONTENDED THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILED TO OPERATE PROPERLY.HONDA PRESENTED THE RESULTS OF THEIR INVESTIGATION INTO INTERLOCK SYSTEM FAILURES AT AN OCTOBER 16, 2003 MEETING WITH ODI IN WHICH HONDA IDENTIFIED A SUPPLIER AND AN ENGINEERING SPECIFICATION CHANGE FOR THE IGNITION CYLINDER BODY (CB), A SUBCOMPONENT OF THE IGNITION LOCK ASSEMBLY.RESULTS FROM HONDA?S ANALYSIS DEMONSTRATED A STRONG CORRELATION BETWEEN THE PRODUCTION DATE RANGE OF VEHICLES THAT EXPERIENCED HIGHER INTERLOCK WARRANTY CLAIM RATES AND THE IMPLEMENTATION DATES OF THE CHANGES.AN ENGINEERING SPECIFICATION FOR A SURFACE TREATMENT PROCESS FOR THE CB WAS ELIMINATED AT THE BEGINNING OF MY 1998.

THE SUPPLIER OF THE CB WAS CHANGED IN FEBRUARY 1999.

VEHICLES BUILT WITHIN THIS TIME PERIOD CONTAIN A CB WITH POOR SURFACE HARDNESS THAT CAN WEAR PREMATURELY.AS THE WEAR PROGRESSES, THE INTERLOCK SYSTEM BECOMES INCAPABLE OF PREVENTING KEY REMOVAL WHEN THE SHIFTER IS IN A NON-PARK POSITION.INTERLOCK FAILURE INCREASES THE RISK OF A VEHICLE ROLLAWAY AND SUBSEQUENT CRASH OR INJURY WHEN VEHICLES ARE PARKED UNSECURED.HONDA ACCORD VEHICLES SUBJECT TO THIS CHANGE INCLUDE MY 1998 AND MY 1999 THROUGH FEBRUARY 1999 PRODUCTION.VEHICLES PRODUCED AFTER THIS DATE ARE NOT AFFECTED BY THIS CONDITION AND THUS ARE NOT CONSIDERED AT RISK FOR FAILURE.ODI NOTES THAT 12 OF THE 13 VOQ REPORTS FALL WITHIN THIS PRODUCTION RANGE (THE 13TH DOES NOT HAVE A VIN AND CANNOT BE VERIFIED).

THE ABOVE POPULATION REPRESENTS THE NUMBER OF THE ACCORD VEHICLES TO BE RECALLED.HONDA ALSO REPORTED THAT CERTAIN ODYSSEY AND ACURA CL AND TL MODELS WERE AFFECTED AND WOULD ALSO BE RECALLED.A TOTAL OF 570,120 VEHICLES WILL BE RECALLED.UNDER RECALL 03V-423, HONDA WILL INSPECT VEHICLES AND REPLACE COMPONENTS (INCLUDING THE CB) ON VEHICLES WITH EXCESSIVE WEAR.VEHICLES NOT SHOWING WEAR WILL HAVE A REDESIGNED PART INSTALLED WHICH PREVENTS WEAR.

Vehicles and equipment listed for this investigation

NHTSA's investigations file lists these vehicles and equipment for Engineering Analysis EA03-017. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. Model years with a try.vin recall page link to that page's NHTSA investigations section.

Honda

Honda Accord
- 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001

All Honda recalls

What an NHTSA investigation is

NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) looks into possible safety defects in vehicles and equipment, often after owner complaints. An investigation usually starts as a Preliminary Evaluation, or as a Recall Query when it concerns whether an existing recall covers the right vehicles or fixes the problem, and ODI can upgrade it to a more detailed Engineering Analysis. A Defect Petition asks NHTSA to open an investigation, and Audit and Equipment Queries are administrative investigations into whether companies complied with federal vehicle safety requirements, such as reporting, recall and certification rules.

An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

To see whether a specific vehicle has an open recall, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Honda VIN check: decode a VIN to see its year, make and model.

Sources

NHTSA's investigation record for EA03-017

Investigation details come from NHTSA's investigations file, which try.vin imports once a day. The investigation types are described from the U.S. Department of Transportation Inspector General's May 2023 report on NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation, NHTSA's petition rules (49 CFR Parts 552 and 557) and NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation procedures. How try.vin reads NHTSA investigations.