2007 Honda Civic Lx Coupe 2-door 1.8l on 2040-cars

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530,000 Hondas, Acuras under expanded NHTSA investigation for steering problem

Earlier this year, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into the 2022 and 2023 Honda Civic. The agency had received 145 complaints from owners stating that the car suddenly exhibited “sticky steering” and increased steering effort. WeÂ’re now learning that the investigation is expanding to include hundreds of thousands more cars. The original probe included around 238,000 Civics, but the NHTSAÂ’s latest report, issued Friday, noted that the investigation is expanding to include more than 530,000 Hondas and Acura vehicles. The 2022 and 2023 Honda Civic, 2023 Honda CR-V, and 2023 Acura Integra are affected. A drastic increase in complaints drove the expansion, as the NHTSA said it had received 1,300 reports and was aware of at least 14 crashes related to the problem. An alarming 11 of those crashes involved a roadway departure due to loss of steering control. Two of them came after the driver allegedly overcorrected, and there are three known injuries from the crashes. NHTSAÂ’s report found that the problem happened primarily in the winter months and after the car had been driven in a straight line for an extended period to warm up the vehicle and gear. Though alarming, itÂ’s worth noting that this investigation has not yet reached the recall stage. Honda acknowledged the problem, noting that it was a manufacturing issue for the steering gear unit. The manufacturing process created conditions that could cause greater internal stress, which can wear and deform the gears inside the steering component. The NHTSA also found that the factory did not guarantee consistent lubrication throughout the gear, which could be the cause of the temporary increase in steering effort. The automaker directed its dealers to replace the electronic power steering gearbox to correct a manufacturing defect, but NHTSA will continue its process, moving to an engineering analysis. If that study finds a defect, it could request a recall. Government/Legal Acura Honda Safety

Florida teens flee police, ram deputies with stolen car

Three Hudson, Florida teens are in juvenile detention today after leading law enforcement on a dangerous high-speed chase in a stolen Honda. According to WFTS, the three unnamed youths were allegedly breaking into cars on the evening of Saturday, April 30 in the Bayonet Point neighborhood in Hudson, FL. Pasco County sheriff's deputies responded to calls about their activities, and when the deputies arrived on the scene, the teens hopped into a stolen Honda and sped off. This prompted a high-speed chase throughout central Pasco County involving both PCS deputies and officers from the Florida Highway Patrol. Bodycam footage released by law enforcement shows officers chasing the reckless teens, ages 13, 14, and 15, throughout the county at speeds approaching 100 miles per hour, where they crashed through barbed wire fences and hopped curbs in an effort to elude pursuit. Eventually, law enforcement cornered the teens on a dead end street, but they refused to give up. In an effort to escape, the driver smashed into four police cruisers before officers finally stopped them. The three alleged car thieves were cuffed and taken into custody on the scene. Luckily, no one was injured during the chase. This is not the youths' first run-in with police. According to the Pasco County Sheriff's office, the three teens, two of whom are brothers, are well-known serial offenders. They are facing a number of charges, including aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, and are currently being held at the Pasco Juvenile Detention center. Related Video: News Source: WFTS Government/Legal Weird Car News Honda Driving Police/Emergency police chase

Honda next to open museum to Google Street View

Had your fill of tooling around the Lamborghini Museum on Google Street View? Maybe Italian supercars aren't your thing? Then we've got good news, because The House That Ferruccio Built isn't the only automotive museum in cyberspace: now the Honda Collection Hall has opened its doors to the crew from Mountain View, too.
The Honda Collection Hall, for those who haven't made it out to Japan's Tochigi Prefecture, is a grand three-story museum dedicated to all things Honda. It's located at the Twin Ring Motegi, and has been open since 1998. Inside visitors will find everything from robots and scooters to SUVs and racing cars. But if you can't make it there in person, you can check out all three levels of floorspace on Street View right from the comfort of your home. Check out the images above and the interactive map below.