Honda to fix 420,000 vehicles due to key interlock defects
Honda Motor Co. said Wednesday it will repair the Fit subcompact, the Stream minivan and seven other models, produced between April 2001 and March 2002, due to malfunctioning key interlock systems.
Honda said 423,344 automatic vehicles are subject to the repairs. Their ignition keys can be removed even when the shift lever is not in the park position.
The automaker reported the plan to the Land, Infrastructure and Transport Ministry on the same day.
The seven other models involved are the Step WGN, the Civic, the Civic Ferio, the Civic Hybrid, the CR-V, the Mobilio and the Integra.
Meanwhile, Volkswagen Group Japan said the same day that its New Beetle and four other models may still have problems with their engine control systems.
Volkswagen said it will carry out a second recall of the models as not all the problems were fixed after a first recall in July 2004.
About 65,000 vehicles, manufactured between June 1999 and July 2002 are involved. Volkswagen said it is possible that gas emissions from the vehicles, including several different Golf models, exceed government-set standards.(Kyodo)
