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Honda is spending $124 million on a new wind tunnel facility in Ohio

Ford isn't the only company building a multi-million dollar wind tunnel this year. Honda is also getting in on the action. Its new facility will cost less than Ford's at $124 million, and construction begins this summer. It will be built at the Transportation Research Center in Ohio, which is where Honda's NSX proving grounds are located. Honda will install a five-belt rolling road in the tunnel for testing of more pedestrian vehicles, and a wide, high-speed, single belt version for testing of sports cars and race cars. However, it seems the Honda facility will only be capable of testing wind speeds of up to 192 mph, whereas Ford claims a top speed of 200 mph. Cameras and microphones will also be set up inside the testing area at the Honda tunnel to help find wind noise trouble spots. Honda won't necessarily be the only company using the new wind tunnel either. The facility will be available for other groups and companies to use. There are even secure bays those groups can use for their work. Related Video:

2.1 million vehicles recalled again over faulty airbags

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Honda and Toyota will recall 2.1 million vehicles to fix faulty airbag modules "after the manufacturers' original attempts to fix the defects proved ineffective in some vehicles." These vehicles had all previously been recalled, but the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that the airbags could still potentially malfunction. This recall will cover Acura MDX, Dodge Viper, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Honda Odyssey, Pontiac Vibe, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Matrix and Toyota Avalon models made in the early 2000s. NHTSA has reportedly received about 40 reports of airbag deployment in such vehicles, even though the vehicle had not been involved in a crash. Roughly one million of these same vehicles, all from Honda and Toyota, are also subject to recalls due to faulty Takata airbag modules, though this particular recall is for "an electronic component manufactured by TRW" that is separate from the actual airbags from Takata. According to NHTSA Administrator Mark Rosekind: "This is unfortunately a complicated issue for consumers, who may have to return to their dealer more than once. But this is an urgent safety issue, and all consumers with vehicles covered by the previous recalls should have that remedy installed. Even though it's a temporary solution until the new remedy is available, they and their families will be safer if they take the time to learn if their vehicle is covered and follow their manufacturers' instructions. A hassle is much better than a family tragedy." If you're the owner of an affected car, expect to hear more from the official automaker and government channels in short order. In the meantime, we'd suggest getting your car checked and fixed at your local dealer. The official statement and recall information can be found below. Previously Recalled Vehicle Remedies Not Working as Designed; NHTSA Announces Follow up Recall of 2.12 Million Cars and SUVs Saturday, January 31, 2015 Contact: Gordon Trowbridge, 202-366-9550, Public.Affairs@dot.gov WASHINGTON – U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx announced today the recall of more than 2.12 million Acura, Dodge, Jeep, Honda, Pontiac, and Toyota vehicles for a defect that may cause airbags to deploy inadvertently. The recalls will provide vehicle owners with a new remedy after the manufacturers' original attempts to fix the defects proved ineffective in some vehicles.

4.5 million Hondas, Acuras are being recalled worldwide to fix a fuel pump defect

Honda is recalling more than 4.5 million cars worldwide because of a fuel pump problem that could lead to engine failure or stalling in traffic, which could cause an accident. The recall includes 2.54 million vehicles in the United States. The automaker had previously recalled 628,000 U.S. vehicles in 2021 and 136,000 in 2020 for the same issue. Honda issued recalls over the same issue earlier this month in China and Japan. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall documents say the impellers inside fuel pumps of 2017-2020 Hondas and Acuras were improperly made, meaning they “can deform and interfere with the fuel pump body” over time. This could prevent the engine from starting, or can cause a stall while driving, which depending on the situation in traffic, could be dangerous. Fortunately, Honda says it hasn't received any reports of crashes or injuries. To remedy the problem, Honda will replace the in-tank fuel pumps, at no cost to owners, in the entire U.S. recall population of 2,539,902 vehicles, though the defect may be present in only 1 percent of those cars. Because of the size of the recall, repairs will be done in phases, with first owners receiving notification letters in February. Dealer notifications began this week. “Countermeasure replacement parts are not available in sufficient quantities for all recalled vehicles at the time of this announcement, and American Honda intends to notify vehicle owners in stages," Honda wrote. Meanwhile, owners wishing to confirm that their vehicle is included can enter their VIN at the NHTSA recall site or at American Honda's and Acura's recall platforms.  NHTSA's campaign number for the recall is 23V858000. Honda's numbers for this recall are KGC and KGD. Owners may also contact Honda customer service by phone: 1-888-234-2138.