The defect
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CERTAIN VEHICLES WERE MANUFACTURED WITH BALL JOINTS THAT CAN PREMATURELY WEAR OUT AND, IN THE WORSE CASE, THE BALL JOINT WOULD SEPARATE CAUSING THE FRONT SUSPENSION TO COLLAPSE.
The risk
THIS CONDITION WOULD RESULT IN VEHICLE DECELERATION AND A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. ALSO STEERING CONTROLLABILITY WOULD BE REDUCED.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE FRONT SUSPENSION LOWER BALL JOINTS.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Acura CL | 1997, 1998 |
| Acura RL | 1996, 1997, 1998 |
| Acura TL | 1996, 1997, 1998 |
| Honda Accord | 1997, 1998 |
| Honda Odyssey | 1997, 1998 |
| Honda Prelude | 1996, 1997, 1998 |
| Isuzu Oasis | 1997, 1998 |
Components: SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER BALL JOINT
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acura CL | 1997 | 82 | 2 |
| Acura CL | 1998 | 55 | 5 |
| Acura RL | 1996 | 22 | 2 |
| Acura RL | 1997 | 19 | 2 |
| Acura RL | 1998 | 11 | 3 |
| Acura TL | 1996 | 26 | 2 |
| Acura TL | 1997 | 23 | 2 |
| Acura TL | 1998 | 20 | 2 |
| Honda Accord | 1997 | 460 | 3 |
| Honda Accord | 1998 | 1,200 | 6 |
| Honda Odyssey | 1997 | 20 | 2 |
| Honda Odyssey | 1998 | 73 | 3 |
| Honda Prelude | 1996 | 4 | 1 |
| Honda Prelude | 1997 | 66 | 3 |
| Honda Prelude | 1998 | 69 | 3 |
| Isuzu Oasis | 1997 | 9 | 2 |
| Isuzu Oasis | 1998 | 10 | 4 |
Other suspension recalls in 1999
36 of the 392 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 1999 concerned the suspension; AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO. filed 122 campaigns in all.
| 99V332000 23 Nov 1999 | BLUE BIRD BODY COMPANY |
| 99V300000 10 Nov 1999 | VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA,INC |
| 99V014003 27 Oct 1999 | COUNTRY COACH INC |
| 99V295000 26 Oct 1999 | FREIGHTLINER CORPORATION |
| 99V014004 29 Sept 1999 | HME, INCORPORATED |
| 99V215000 9 Aug 1999 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 99V214000 9 Aug 1999 | DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION |
| 99V128003 15 Jul 1999 | INTERNATIONAL TRUCK AND ENGINE |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 1999