The overwhelming complaint pattern centers on sun visor failure. The plastic upper and lower housing pieces are bonded together; the internal metal rotation mechanism creates stress on that adhesive joint. After 12,000 to 36,000 miles—or sometimes within a year of replacement—the bond fails and the visor splits at the seam. Once broken, the visor cannot be locked in the upright position and hangs straight down, blocking the driver's view of traffic signals, road signage, and the upper windshield. Owners report having to hold the visor up while driving, bending down to see red lights, or missing pedestrians. The failure repeats every summer or within 1–2 years even after dealer replacement. Dealerships cite a Honda Technical Service Bulletin but refuse free replacement beyond 36,000 miles and 3 years; a class-action settlement covered vehicles under 100,000 miles and 7 years old. Replacement parts are identical to the original and fail the same way.
A secondary complaint involves windshield wiper control failures: wipers run continuously despite being switched off, fail to turn on, or stop in random positions on the windshield, obscuring the driver's view. One TSB (07-071) documents the issue, but no recall exists. These are separate electrical/mechanical defects, not related to the visor failures.
Failure modes owners describe
Sun visor splitting and drooping into driver line of sight
The plastic upper and lower housing pieces of the sun visor bond together with adhesive. The internal rotation mechanism exerts stress on this bond. Over time or with heat exposure, the bond fails and the visor splits at the seam, making it impossible to lock in the upright position. The broken visor hangs straight down, directly obstructing the driver's view of traffic signals, road signs, and the upper windshield area.
When: First failures typically occur within 12,000–36,000 miles, often in the first 1–3 years, sometimes recurring every 1–2 years after replacement. Heat exposure appears to accelerate failure.
Symptoms owners cite: Visor splits or cracks at the bonded seam between upper and lower plastic halves; Visor will not stay in the upright/stored position; Visor hangs straight down, blocking driver's field of vision; Visor may become loose or make clicking/popping noises before catastrophic failure; Drivers must manually hold the visor up while operating the vehicle; Cannot be repositioned to block sun from side window without falling back into line of sight
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers replace the entire visor assembly. Owner costs cited range from $60–$320 depending on dealer and whether labor is included. Replacement visors are identical to the original defective part and fail repeatedly. No aftermarket alternatives reported available.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Honda issued a Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) acknowledging the problem. A class-action settlement (Cooper, et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc., Case No. BC 448670, circa 2011) covered vehicles with less than 100,000 miles or 7 years old. Honda replaced visors under warranty for the first 36,000 miles or 3 years. Beyond warranty, Honda has refused free replacement, citing no recall, though dealerships occasionally provide courtesy replacements a short distance past warranty expiration. No design change has been implemented.
Windshield wiper control malfunction
The wiper switch and motor control system fails to properly respond to switch inputs. Wipers may run at incorrect speeds, fail to turn off when commanded, stay off when commanded on, or park in random positions on the windshield. The failure is unpredictable and can occur during rain or wet conditions, creating immediate visibility hazards.
When: Failures reported throughout vehicle ownership. Some owners note temperature sensitivity (near freezing conditions trigger problems).
Symptoms owners cite: Intermittent wiper setting does not work; wipers run at full speed instead; Wipers will not turn off when switch is set to off position; Wipers run continuously until ignition is turned off; Wipers stop in random positions on windshield, often in driver's line of sight; All speed settings run at the same speed regardless of switch position; Wipers may freeze in the full up or down position
Repairs/costs cited: Honda TSB 07-071 (dated Nov 22, 2007, superseding TSB dated Oct 19, 2007) addresses the issue. Dealers recommend replacement of the wiper motor. Owner cost not explicitly stated but framed as unreasonable by complainants.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Technical Service Bulletin TSB 07-071 exists documenting the defect. No recall issued. Dealers suggest motor replacement at owner expense.
Synthesized from 226 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer
allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.