### U.S. Investigates Engine Failures in 1.4 Million Honda and Acura Vehicles

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched an investigation into complaints about potential engine failures affecting up to 1.4 million Honda and Acura vehicles. This inquiry focuses on several models, specifically the 2016-2020 Honda Pilot and Acura MDX, the 2018-2020 Honda Odyssey and Acura TLX, and the 2017-2019 Honda Ridgeline.

According to documents released by the agency, the issue involves the failure of connecting rod bearings in vehicles equipped with 3.5-liter V6 engines, which can result in total engine failure. The connecting rods are critical components that link the pistons to the crankshaft, transforming vertical motion into wheel movement.

Back in November of 2023, Honda had already recalled approximately 250,000 vehicles to address this very problem. However, NHTSA has received 173 additional complaints from owners whose vehicles experienced similar bearing failures but were not part of the earlier recall. Notably, one of these complaints involved a crash, though it resulted in no injuries.

In response to these complaints, NHTSA has initiated a recall query to evaluate the extent of the issue in vehicles excluded from the previous recall. Honda has expressed its intention to cooperate fully with the investigation.

During the 2023 recall, Honda acknowledged 1,450 warranty claims linked to the bearing issue, yet stated that there had been no reports of injuries. The automaker directed dealers to inspect, repair, or replace the affected engines as necessary.