300,000+ Honda Accord Sedans and HR-V SUVs Recalled for Seatbelt Issue

Recalls are never a good thing, but are sometimes necessary to ensure your vehicle is safe for you and others while it's on the road. Some are small, some are for minor issues—but this one is neither, so if you own a 2023 or 2024 model year Honda Accord or HR-V, you'll want to read this carefully. The recall directly involves the safety of both front occupants during a crash.

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The issue itself is related to the seatbelt pretensioner which, if you're unfamiliar, is a device intended to pull the seat belt tight against the occupant to mitigate movement during a crash. In the case of the Honda Accord and HR-V, the pretensioner (which quickly tightens the seatbelt in a crash, to minimize occupant movement) is attached to a quick connector and a wire plate. A rivet that secures both of these pieces may have been left off, and so the belt (or belts) will never pretension, meaning the seatbelt won't hold occupants in place in the event of a crash. That's bad.

You can read a PDF of the recall notice here.

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Fortunately, the fix is already available and Honda dealers will replace the seat belt with the pretensioner assembly free of charge to the owner. Since these are 2023 and 2024 model year Accords and HR-Vs, repairs done prior to this should have also been covered under the vehicle's warranty. If not and the owner somehow paid out of pocket, that repair related to replacing a defective buckle will be reimbursed by Honda.

All owners will be notified about the recall on January 8, 2024, but dealers should have already been informed about it. If you're unsure if your Accord or HR-V is affected by this recall, check its VIN at the NHTSA website or Honda's own recall page.