Investigations
Honda EWR Reporting
NHTSA Audit Query AQ14004 — closed, opened 2014-10-30 and involving the HONDA HONDA.
NHTSA investigation AQ14004 is a Audit Query opened on 2014-10-30 and currently closed. The subject of record is HONDA HONDA, which places this file inside the Office of Defects Investigation queue for HONDA. Latest activity on this investigation was logged on 2016-04-21 — NHTSA updates that field whenever an Information Request goes out, a supplement is filed, or a status change is recorded in the public docket.
An Audit Query like AQ14004 is how NHTSA checks that manufacturers are meeting their statutory obligations — things like notifying owners, reporting foreign recalls, and tracking remedy completion rates under TREAD and FMVSS requirements.
Investigators summarized the matter as follows: "In a Consent Order executed on December 29, 2014, American Honda Motor Co. ("Honda") admitted that it violated the Safety Act by failing to report certain death and injury incidents that were required to be reported to N..." Investigations are the early-warning layer of the federal auto-safety system, sitting upstream of formal recalls and defect orders. Whether this one closes without action or escalates into an Engineering Analysis, the full history stays in the ODI archive so researchers, litigators, and buyers can pull the paper trail at any time. Related HONDA files, listed below, give context on whether this is an isolated concern or part of a broader pattern across the brand.
Investigation Summary
In a Consent Order executed on December 29, 2014, American Honda Motor Co. ("Honda") admitted that it violated the Safety Act by failing to report certain death and injury incidents that were required to be reported to NHTSA under 49 C.F.R. § 579.21(b), and by failing to report certain customer satisfaction campaigns, special warranty extensions, and warranty claims that involved goodwill, third-party vehicle service contracts, or Honda-certified, pre-owned vehicles, as required by 49 C.F.R. § 579.21(c). As part of the Consent Order, NHTSA assessed a total civil penalty of $70 million against Honda for its violations of the TREAD Act and associated regulations. Honda timely paid the civil penalty in full on January 20, 2015. Honda also agreed to develop written procedures for comprehensive early warning reporting in compliance with 49 C.F.R. Part 579, Subpart C; to train appropriate personnel on its early warning reporting requirements and written procedures; and to complete two third-party audits of its TREAD Act reporting. NHTSA opened this audit query (AQ) investigation in order to investigate the extent and scope of Honda's failure to report early warning information pursuant to the TREAD Act, as well as the reason(s) for such failures and the steps being taken by Honda to assure full compliance with TREAD reporting requirements. Based on the Consent Order, Honda's admissions that it violated the law, and the completion of its performance obligations, this audit query, AQ14-004, is closed. Closure of this AQ has no bearing on the terms of the Consent Order and does not represent a determination by the Agency as to Honda's performance under the Consent Order.
About This Investigation Type
An Audit Query (AQ) is conducted to verify manufacturer compliance with safety standards and recall requirements.
Other HONDA Investigations
Inaccurate Rear Passenger Seat Belt Warning Status
Loss of Motive Power
Inadvertent Deployment of Side Air Bags
Engine failure
No Restart After Auto Start/Stop Engages
Data from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Cross-references: NHTSA recall campaign API and NHTSA FARS where fatality records overlap. PlainCars does not rate or recommend vehicles. Learn more.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.