Honda Recalls More Than 635,000 Vehicles Over Potential Power Steering Failure

The software glitch could disable power steering assistance, prompting a free fix for affected owners.

By: Adrian Padeanu

Nov 11, at 3:16am ET

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Here we go again. Honda has issued a major recall in the United States, affecting more than 635,000 vehicles across its core brand and the luxury Acura marque. The problem concerns the electric power steering (EPS) system, which could unexpectedly enter failsafe mode and stop providing steering assistance.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall covers certain 2021-2025 TLX, 2022-2024 MDX, and 2023-2025 Pilot vehicles. In total, the campaign potentially affects 635,808 vehicles.

The issue stems from an improper software configuration in the electric power steering system. Under certain operating conditions, the software could trigger an internal error and instruct the EPS system to enter failsafe mode. Once that happens, the system disables power steering assistance. Honda reported the problem to NHTSA on October 29, under recall number 26V721000. The manufacturer has identified the supplier-developed software as the source of the problem.

2024 Acura TLX Type S

A Software Error Could Make Steering Much Harder

The technical explanation is a little more complicated than a typical software glitch. According to Honda's recall report, the supplier developed incorrect EPS software containing an error in the Driver Attention Monitor's road-condition compensation calculation.

Under specific operating conditions, the software may attempt a floating-point division by zero, triggering an internal error. The EPS software was incorrectly configured to respond by shutting down power steering assistance.

Things could be a lot worse because it doesn't mean drivers suddenly lose the ability to turn the steering wheel altogether. The mechanical steering connection remains, but drivers must apply considerably more force to change direction without the electric assistance, just like in the old days when EPS wasn't available.

The steering effort can become particularly noticeable during low-speed maneuvers, such as parking or navigating tight spaces. NHTSA warns that the resulting loss of assistance could reduce vehicle controllability and increase the risk of a crash or injury. The system also illuminates warning indicators in the instrument cluster when it enters failsafe mode.

Of the three models mentioned, the 2025 Pilot accounts for the largest share, with 240,830 vehicles potentially involved. That's almost 38 percent of the entire recall population.

2025 Honda Pilot Black Edition

Photo by: Christopher Smith / Motor1

Honda's Fix Is A Free Software Update

On the bright side, Honda isn't asking dealers to replace the steering rack or other major hardware components. Instead, authorized dealerships will reprogram the electric power steering control unit with corrected software.

The repair will be performed free of charge, regardless of whether Honda or Acura's original warranty covers the vehicle. The updated software contains the correct configuration and should prevent the system from disabling power steering assistance because of the identified error.

Dealer notifications were scheduled to begin around October 30, while Honda expects to start mailing letters to affected owners on December 14.

2024 Acura MDX Type S

Owners Shouldn't Ignore The Recall

Although the vehicles retain mechanical steering capability, obviously nobody wants to suddenly discover that turning the wheel requires significantly more effort than usual. Losing power steering assistance can be particularly unpleasant in an emergency, when drivers need to make quick corrections.

Honda isn't advising owners to stop driving their vehicles, and the recall notice doesn't carry a Do Not Drive warning. Nevertheless, anyone experiencing a steering warning or an unexpected loss of assistance should have the vehicle inspected rather than waiting for the recall letter. NHTSA says affected vehicle identification numbers (VINs) will become searchable through its database today, November 11.

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Comments

A software update is a relatively straightforward fix, but the underlying issue reminds us that even systems designed to make driving easier can introduce new failure points. Power steering has been around for decades, yet adding more software to something as fundamental as turning the wheels means there's another potential problem to worry about.

One interesting aspect of this campaign is how broadly the problem affects the Honda and Acura lineups. That suggests the issue isn't tied to one particular body style or vehicle segment, but rather to shared steering-system software. It's another example of how a single software-related defect can lead to a recall spanning multiple models and hundreds of thousands of vehicles.