Honda Recalls 871K Vehicles That May Roll Away on Their Own

Honda is recalling 871,000 vehicles because there is a risk these vehicles could roll away on their own -- even after the ignition key has been removed.

The Japanese automaker says parts of the ignition interlock may become damaged and worn, thereby allowing a driver to remove the key even if the car has not been properly shifted to park, reports Reuters.

As you can imagine, a car that is not properly parked could roll away on its own, especially if it's on a slope or a driveway.

The vehicles affected by the recall include:

• About 318,000 Honda Odyssey minivans from model years 2003-04;
• About 259,000 Honda Pilot SUVs also from model years 2003-04; and
• About 230,000 Acura MDX SUVs from model years 2003-06.

Almost all of the recalled vehicles were sold in the United States, according to Reuters.

The ignition problem was discovered when U.S. safety investigators received 43 complaints from consumers who experienced their cars rolling away and striking objects like other parked cars, fences, trees, and even people. Some of these incidents resulted in injuries, reports Reuters.

Honda says it will begin sending recall notices to owners in February.

As you wait for your recall notice (and pray that your car won't roll away), you may want to explore your rights to recover for any injuries you may have suffered.

Cars are not meant to roll away, especially if they are set to "park" and the keys have been removed. As a result, Honda may be responsible for any damages that occurred.

If you have any questions about recalled vehicles, you can post a query on the FindLaw Answers Injury, Accidents and Torts forum. If you have a specific question or have been injured by your vehicle, you may want to contact a product liability attorney to review your options and your potential claim.

Related Resources:

• Honda recalling 800,000 minivans, SUVs (CNN)
• Honda Expands Air Bag Recall (FindLaw's Common Law)
• Honda Recall: 428,000 Vehicles Recalled (FindLaw's Common Law)