Supplied by Ohio-based Hitachi Astemo Americas, the steering rack used in the Civic sedan and Civic hatchback may be incorrectly assembled. A grand total of 176,410 vehicles produced for the US market are recalled, of which 1% are believed to require a replacement electric power steering rack.
Assembly dates range between April 6, 2021 and August 17, 2023 for the hatchback. As far as the sedan is concerned, make that April 8, 2021 through August 17, 2023. The document attached below doesn’t list the mighty Civic Type R and Civic Si.
To whom it may concern, the Civic Type R is assembled in Japan exclusively at the plant where Honda makes the hybrid-only hatchback for the Japanese market. This generation of the Civic for North America comes from Greensburg, Indiana and Alliston, Ontario.
Honda became aware of the incorrectly assembled steering racks in July 2023, with the supplier informing American Honda Motor of the blunder. The subsequent investigation determined that a defect related to motor vehicle safety couldn’t be ruled out, hence the issuance of recall 23V-704.
Honda isn’t aware of warranty claims or accidents related to said condition. Registered owners will be informed via first-class mail on December 4 to bring their cars in for the remedy. Dealers will inspect and – if necessary – replace the steering rack. As per documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the supplier improved its workflow and confirmation processes to eliminate any chances of improper assembly going forward.
Both the iffy and the replacement steering racks are identified under part numbers 53640-T21-305 and 53640-T21-306. In case of a rack that’s about to give up the ghost, the driver will hear abnormal noises from the front of the vehicle while turning.
Photo: Honda
It should be mentioned that all recalled vehicles had received replacement power steering racks as part of service repairs. The incorrectly assembled racks allow the front tires to chafe against the lower suspension and tie rod end, leading to tire damage.
Recalled assemblies feature an incorrectly set stroke length, hence the potential for chafing. In the meantime, owners are recommended to run the VIN on the NHTSA’s website to determine whether their Civic sedans and hatchbacks are recalled or not.
Codenamed FE for the sedan and FL for the five-door body style, the 2022-and-newer Civic is the 11th generation since the original rolled out in 1972 for the 1973 model year. Twinned with the Acura Integra, the Civic is one of the best-selling automobiles in the United States of America. Last year, for example, American Honda Motor moved 133,932 units.
Not available as a hybrid in this part of the world, the Civic kicks off at $23,950 for the sedan, $24,950 for the hatchback, $29,100 for the Si, and $43,795 for the Type R. Engine choices range from a 2.0L naturally-aspirated I4 for the sedan in LX attire to a 2.0L turbocharged I4 for the no-nonsense Type R.
In Japan and the Old Continent, prospective customers are presented with two flavors: hatchback with hybrid assistance and the go-faster Type R. The hybrid-powered hatchback is rated at up to 4.7 liters per 100 kilometers in the WLTP’s combined test cycle, meaning 50 miles per gallon.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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