So far, there have been some 600 complaints filed with the body in the US, with some 10 confirmed crashes which may have been caused by this issue. According to Reuters, some 343,000 minivans are subject to the investigation. The first problems began being reported since February, when only 421 units were recalled.
The complaints claim the brakes on the Odyssey feel "soft" and "spongy", with several vans having problems stopping and even running red lights as a result. None of the accidents reported so far have resulted in people getting killed.
According to NHTSA, the problem may be caused by air finding its way into the braking system, causing the problem. Honda acknowledged that air may build up when the engine is started, but said the problem will not cause a diminished braking performance, even if the height and feel of the brake pedal are different than usual.
Honda is already undergoing a huge recall in the US, with 440,000 Accord, Civic, Acura being sent to service because of airbags manufactured by Takata Corp. The fault concerns the driver's airbag inflator, which could "produce excessive internal pressure" and "if an affected airbag deploys, the increased internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture."
According to one report, one driver was killed during an accident in which the airbag deployed. The news was confirmed by Honda, but the driver's cause of death is still under investigation, according to a company spokeswoman.
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