Honda Minivan Recall 2013: Odyssey Brakes Could Fail, But Part Not Available Until 2014

A Honda minivan recall in 2013 affects the 2007 to 2008 Honda Odyssey models.

As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Toyota recalls in 2013 have affected engines, brakes, and airbags, causing Toyota to lose its good reliability rating.

Back in 2012, another Honda minivan recall affected the Odyssey EX-L as well as the Touring models. A manufacturing flaw in the power liftgates allowed pressurized gas to escape from the struts. The unintended release of pressurized gas from the power liftgates results in an inability to control the liftgate’s movements, which in turn causes a loss of control over the rear door.

The 2013 Honda minivan recall affects 344,000 Odyssey models in the United States and is mostly caused by a software error in the Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA) system. This software issue causes hydraulic pressure to build in the braking system after an engine restart. Under certain conditions, this defect can cause the Odyssey minivans to suddenly brake hard without the driver ever touching the pedals.

The good news about this Honda minivan recall is that no crashes or injuries have been discovered to be related to the defect. The bad news is that its not only a software patch. Fixing the Odyssey requires a part, as well, according to Honda:

“An updated yaw sensor will be installed in affected Odyssey vehicles to remedy the error in the VSA software. However, the yaw sensor will not be available until spring of 2014.”

In the meantime, the Japanese automaker is alerting Odyssey owners about the Honda minivan recall and gives instructions on how to calibrate the VSA system properly.