Honda, Acura Recall Almost 1.7 Million Cars for a Steering Problem

• Honda is recalling 1,693,199 cars and crossovers because of a problem with the steering gearbox assembly.
  

• Affected vehicles are 2022-2025 Honda Civic and Civic Type-R, 2023-2025 Acura Integra and Integra Type S, and 2023-2025 Honda CR-V and HR-V.

• Honda says there is a remedy and that customers are scheduled to be notified on November 18.

If you’ve noticed some troubles with the steering on your new Civic, Integra, HR-V, or CR-V, you’re not alone. Honda is recalling nearly 1.7 million examples of Civic-based vehicles from the 2022 model year through the 2025 model year for a problem relating to the steering gear.

The NHTSA recall report says the steering gearbox assembly was manufactured incorrectly, and that could cause excessive friction inside the steering box assembly. This, in turn, can make it hard to turn the vehicle, which could increase the risk of crash or injury. Customers on the internet have described this as “sticky” steering.

Diving deeper into the recall report, NHTSA outlines what went awry in the manufacturing process. Apparently, the worm wheel wasn’t properly annealed, which is causing the worm wheel teeth to swell during use, which increases surface pressure on the teeth.

Making matters worse, this increase in surface pressure reduces the grease film thickness inside the steering assembly, which further increases the friction between the worm wheel and the worm gear. The worm gear spring preload was also incorrectly set, which further increases friction.

Now, there is some good news. Honda is obviously aware of the issue and has a remedy in place. The NHTSA recall notice says your local Honda dealership will dive into the steering box assembly, replace the worm gear spring with a revised part, and add or redistribute grease accordingly.

This new spring will help reduce the surface tension inside the steering box assembly. The recall doesn’t mention a remedy for the worm wheel’s manufacturing issue. This repair will be free of charge, and owners who have had to repair this outside of the recall or warranty window could be eligible for reimbursement.

If you’re curious if your vehicle is affected, you can wait for your letter in the mail, use the Honda or Acura Recall Tool, or contact your local dealership. Considering the breadth of the issue, if you own one of the vehicles above, you’re probably affected.

Have you experienced this “sticky” steering situation? Tell us below.