2007 Honda CR-V

My catalytic converter was stolen when my car was parked. Honda owners has been targeted for its catalytic converters, and there are numerous reports of Honda’s cats being stolen. Honda has a major defect where it makes it easier for thieves to steal the cat in minutes. There are 3 major flaws with the product. 1) Hondas don’t automatically come with a cat converter steel shield, cage, or other protector to make them harder to steal. 2) Hondas don’t install their cat in the engine compartment like other car manufacturers to deter theft. 3) Honda’s cat contains valuable materials, which is why they are targeted. Other car brands tend to have less valuable catalysts so thieves are not incentivized to steal them. Because there are many cats being stolen, there is a shortage to replace them, and car owners have to wait weeks to months to get their cat replaced. It’s been almost 2 weeks, and my car is still at the mechanic’s waiting for a replacement catalytic converter. My safety, and the safety of my family, including two kids, were compromised because I had to drive my family home (and we live in a hilly area) without a cat as it was stolen Sunday evening, and I had to wait until the next day to get it to the mechanic’s. The warning light appeared when I started the car, but by the telltale sound my car made, I already knew the cat was stolen. A police report was filed and the claim with my insurance was completed. Cats are very expensive to replace and an inconvenience for a 1-car family. Now we don’t have a car to do basic necessities like take the kids to school, go grocery shopping for the family, go to work, and go to doctor appointments.

While performing maintenance on the car, I found that the left (drivers) rear mounting bracket which is a part of the frame/body, and hold the right rear trailing arm - holding the rear axle was severely rusted and cracking apart from corrosion. The right (passenger) bracket showed no rust damage. This problem has been reported by others, and Canada has found the same issues and issued a recall for this car/vin group. Although this car is 15 years old, this thick 3/8" heavy metal bracket should not have disintegrated like this even with the salt used on the highways, and is shown with absolutely no issue with the right (passenger side)bracket. Upon taking it to the dealer, there was nothing they could do, nor could they get the "fix" being used in Canada or any other information as to how they are correcting this problem. Suggestion is to buy a new car or take it to a body shop and see if they could fabricate a repair. Honda dealer did not seem to be too concerned about this rust, so I will have to go elsewhere to have it evaluated. From what I have found here on the internet, this is a serious problem, and when it breaks as it has for others, you loose control of the car because the axle is now only attached to one side of the car. If there is a fix for this, (as they have one in Canada) they should be compelled to provide it. This isn't a who pays for the repair. It's been known for some time now, and they should have already addressed this. But to withhold the safety fix isn't acceptable.

While driving vehicle on 07/01/2021 the right rear trailing arm disconnected from the right rear frame rail due to corrosion. Transport Canada issued a recall (#2019-025) for 83,953 Honda CR-V's sold new in Canada for this problem. My Honda CR-V was manufactured at the same plant as those recalled in Canada. The reason for the recall in Canada was because these vehicles were driven on roads treated with deicing materials, much the same as vehicles driven in Illinois. This vehicle has not been inspected by American Honda. This is a clear safety issue due to the nature of the suspension becoming detached with no notice.

AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY STREET, THE RIGHT REAR SUSPENSION CONTROL ARM CAME LOOSE FROM THE FRAME. THE RIGHT WHEEL TIRE SUBSEQUENTLY BECAME LODGED AGAINST THE REAR OF THE WHEEL WELL AT AN ANGLE. I WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. POLICE ARRIVED TO BLOCK OFF THE NEAREST LANE SO I COULD SAFELY BE TOWED FROM THE SCENE, AS THE CAR WAS UNDRIVABLE. I AM FORTUNATE THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN AT HIGH SPEED, AS I DO NOT BELIEVE I WOULD HAVE SAFELY BEEN ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTROL ARM CAME LOOSE DUE TO EXCESSIVE RUST ON THE FRAME. THE AREA AROUND THE MOUNTING LOCATION FOR THE ARM IS TORN AWAY FROM THE FRAME, THE NUTS AND BOLTS ARE STILL ATTACHED TO THE FRAGMENTS OF FRAME THEY WERE ORIGINALLY MOUNTED TO. THIS MODEL YEAR CRV IS UNDER RECALL FOR EXCESSIVE CORROSION IN CANADIAN PROVINCES WHERE ROAD SALT IS EXTENSIVELY USED IN WINTER. THIS MODEL WAS PURCHASED IN MINNESOTA, WHERE ROAD SALT IS EXTENSIVELY USED IN WINTER.

TL* THE CONTACT'S DAUGHTER OWNS A 2007 HONDA CR-V. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE HIS DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING 30 MPH, THE REAR DRIVER'S SIDE LOWER CONTROL ARM DETACH FROM THE CHASSIS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND WAS INFORMED THE CHASSIS WAS RUSTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRABLE. A DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED AS OF YET. THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT BEEN INFORMED OF FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

VEHICLE FAILED STATE INSPECTION DUE TO EXCESSIVE CORROSION IN THE REAR FRAME AND THE RISK OF THE REAR-TRAILING SEPARATING FROM THE FRAME AND LIKELIHOOD OF AN ENSUING ACCIDENT. THE INSPECTION STATION STRONGLY RECOMMENDED AGAINST REPAIR DUE TO THE STRESS POINT, AND INTEGRITY OF THE SURROUNDING STRUCTURES. I OPENED CASE # 10157114 WITH AMERICAN HONDA, AND THEY HAVE THE DOCUMENTATION OF THE ISSUE ALONG WITH PICTURES TAKEN BY AN AUTHORIZED HONDA DEALER. THIS SAME ISSUE WAS IDENTIFIED IN 2019 BY TRANSPORT CANADA RECALL # 2019025. HONDA CANADA'S STATEMENT REGARDING THE RECALL: "EXCESSIVE CORROSION TO THE REAR FRAME MAY RESULT IN FRAME STIFFENER PERFORATION AND, IN EXTREME CASES, CAUSE THE REAR-TRAILING ARM TO SEPARATE FROM THE VEHICLE'S FRAME STRUCTURE. A SEPARATED REAR-TRAILING ARM MAY CAUSE THE VEHICLE TO BE DIFFICULT TO CONTROL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH." AMERICAN HONDA (USA) REFUSES TO RECOGNIZE THE ISSUE, AND INSISTS THIS IS ONLY A HONDA CANADA ISSUE. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT STANCE IS THAT CANADIAN PRODUCTION OF THE CR-V MODEL DID NOT BEGIN UNTIL THE 2012 MODEL YEAR. CR-VS FOR BOTH THE CANADIAN AND US MARKETS FOR THE 2007-2011 MODEL YEARS WERE PRIMARILY PRODUCED IN EAST LIBERTY, OH, USA AND SAYAMA, SAITAMA, JAPAN. THUS THE MANUFACTURING SPECIFICATIONS FOR THE FRAMES OF THE VEHICLES SUBJECT TO THE CANADIAN RECALL WILL EXACTLY MATCH THOSE SOLD IN THE USA AS THEY CAME OFF THE SAME PRODUCTION LINES. THE VEHICLE SUBJECT OF THIS COMPLAINT WAS ASSEMBLED AT THE JAPAN FACILITY.

WHILE DRIVING TO WORK, JUST COMING OFF THE HIGHWAY, I NOTICED MY CAR BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL. I IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER, AND SAW MY BACK DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE AT A VERY STRANGE ANGLE. I CALLED THE TOW TRUCK. WE BOTH LOOKED UNDER THE CAR, AND IT APPEARED TO BE THAT THE ARM CAME DISLODGED FROM THE FRAME ON THAT SIDE DUE TO EXTENSIVE CORROSION. WHEN COMING HOME I GOOGLED THE ISSUE, AND SAW CANADA HAD A SAFETY RECALL FOR THIS EXACT PROBLEM, IN HUMID AREAS THAT USE SALT FOR DE-ICING. COASTAL NEW ENGLAND WOULD ALSO FALL UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, AS WOULD MANY OTHER NORTHERN AREAS OF THE UNITED STATES. THIS SHOULD ABSOLUTELY BE RECALLED HERE AS WELL. IF IT HAD HAPPENED 5 MINUTES SOONER, I COULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.