Honda has announced a safety recall for a specific 18-inch aluminum alloy accessory wheel sold for certain 2016 to 2021 Civic vehicles. The recall, acknowledged by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), covers approximately 406,290 accessory wheels due to a manufacturing issue that could cause a wheel to detach from the car while driving.

The affected equipment is an 18-inch alloy accessory wheel, identified by the manufacturer’s internal recall number MMZ and NHTSA campaign number 25E071. The wheels included in the recall were produced between Dec. 1, 2018, and Dec. 31, 2019. This range encompasses all components that could potentially have the defect, which is tied to a factory that ceased manufacturing operations in 2023.

The core issue stems from an error that occurred during the accessory wheel’s production. A limited number of wheels may have been manufactured without a crucial small part called a steel bolt seat or steel press-in bushing.

This small insert is designed to fit into the wheel’s lug nut holes, providing a secure, stable surface for the lug nuts that hold the wheel onto the vehicle’s hub. If this steel seat is missing or incorrectly installed, the lug nuts can gradually loosen over time. A wheel that loosens while the car is in motion could ultimately detach from the vehicle.

Honda stated that a wheel detachment can lead to a driver losing control of the vehicle. This loss of control increases the risk of a crash or injury to the car's occupants and others on the road.

The company says it expects a small percentage of the recalled wheels to actually have the defect. About 0.1% of the accessory wheels are estimated to have the missing part. Despite the low defect rate, all owners of the specific accessory wheel are advised to take the recall seriously.

To address the safety concern, Honda notified its dealers about a stop sale and safety recall on Oct. 31, directing them to take corrective action.

The remedy involves a mandatory inspection. Dealers will check all four accessory wheels on affected vehicles for the presence of the steel bushing. If an inspection confirms that a wheel is missing the part, the dealer will take two steps:

Replace the faulty wheel or wheels.

Replace all four of the vehicle's wheel hub assemblies as a proactive measure.

All inspection and necessary repair work, including parts and labor, will be performed by authorized Honda dealers at no cost to the owner. The replacement wheels have the steel lug seat inserts properly pressed in, correcting the manufacturing flaw.

Owners of potentially affected accessory wheels are expected to receive notification letters in the mail starting around Dec. 8. The letter will provide detailed instructions on how to proceed.

Owners of 2016-2021 Civic vehicles who have purchased the specific 18-inch accessory wheels can check if their vehicle is involved in the recall by searching their Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the NHTSA website, NHTSA.gov.

Customers who have questions about the campaign can contact Honda's customer service directly at 1-888-234-2138.