The problem
Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2011 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2011 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2011 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands, or "Zone A." Additionally, unless included in "Zone A" above, Honda is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Acura MDX, 2005-2008 Acura RL, 2005-2006 Honda CR-V, 2003-2008 Element, 2007-2008 Fit, 2003-2008 Pilot, 2002-2004 Odyssey, and 2006-2008 Ridgeline vehicles originally sold, or that have ever been registered, in Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia, or "Zone B." Lastly, unless included in "Zone A" or "Zone B" above, Honda is recalling model year 2002-2004 Odyssey and model year 2003-2004 Acura MDX, Honda Element, and Honda Pilot vehicles originally sold, or registered, in Alaska, Colorado, Connecticut, Idaho, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules, and used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the front air bags, these inflators may rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
The risk
An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
The fix
Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA0, KA1, KA2, and KA3.
Recall details
| NHTSA campaign | 16V-344 (16V344000) |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer number | KA0, KA1, KA2, KA3 |
| Manufacturer | Honda (American Honda Motor Co.) |
| Component | Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module |
| Report date | May 23, 2016 |
| Owners notified | June 29, 2016 |
| Vehicles affected | 1,790,894 |
| Initiated by | NHTSA investigation |
Vehicles covered
- 2003 Acura MDX
- 2004 Acura MDX
- 2005 Acura MDX
- 2006 Acura MDX
- 2005 Acura RL
- 2006 Acura RL
- 2007 Acura RL
- 2008 Acura RL
- 2009 Acura RL
- 2010 Acura RL
- 2011 Acura RL
- 2005 Honda CR-V
- 2006 Honda CR-V
- 2003 Honda Element
- 2004 Honda Element
- 2005 Honda Element
- 2006 Honda Element
- 2007 Honda Element
- 2008 Honda Element
- 2009 Honda Element
- 2010 Honda Element
- 2011 Honda Element
- 2007 Honda Fit
- 2008 Honda Fit
- 2002 Honda Odyssey
- 2003 Honda Odyssey
- 2004 Honda Odyssey
- 2003 Honda Pilot
- 2004 Honda Pilot
- 2005 Honda Pilot
- 2006 Honda Pilot
- 2007 Honda Pilot
- 2008 Honda Pilot
- 2006 Honda Ridgeline
- 2007 Honda Ridgeline
- 2008 Honda Ridgeline
- 2009 Honda Ridgeline
- 2010 Honda Ridgeline
- 2011 Honda Ridgeline
Owner complaints about the air bags
- 2003 Acura MDX airbag problems 42
- 2004 Acura MDX airbag problems 26
- 2005 Acura MDX airbag problems 39
- 2006 Acura MDX airbag problems 15
- 2005 Acura RL airbag problems 36
- 2006 Acura RL airbag problems 9
- 2007 Acura RL airbag problems 7
- 2008 Acura RL airbag problems 8
- 2009 Acura RL airbag problems 3
- 2010 Acura RL airbag problems 7
- 2011 Acura RL airbag problems 1
- 2005 Honda CR-V airbag problems 129
Frequently asked questions
Is the recall 16V-344 repair free?
Yes. Acura dealers will fix the problem at no cost: Honda will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began June 27, 2016. Owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138. Honda's numbers for this recall are KA0, KA1, KA2, and KA3.
How do I know if my car is included?
Not every vehicle of the listed model years is affected — the recall covers 1,790,894 vehicles built in a certain window. Check your 17-character VIN with our VIN recall check or at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.