Honda Recalls 440,000 Vehicles: Airbags May Deploy Unexpectedly

Honda has issued a safety recall for 440,830 Odyssey minivans. The vehicles have second and third-row curtain airbags that could unexpectedly deploy in certain driving conditions. The recall affects the 2018-2022 Odyssey.   

According to the recall report, the supplemental restraint system (SRS), the name for a car’s airbags, has software control logic that can misinterpret certain inputs as side impacts, causing the curtain airbags to deploy. Driving over potholes, speed bumps, and road debris in the Odyssey could trigger them.  

Honda first learned of a potential issue in November 2017 and opened the investigation that lasted nearly four years. By July 2021, Honda discovered that poor road surfaces, driving over debris, or objects impacting the undercarriage could cause second- and third-row airbags to deploy.  

But in October of that year, the automaker determined there were no safety concerns related to the issue.

It was not until October 2025 that the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigations opened a Preliminary Evaluation. The agency had received 18 complaints alleging inadvertent airbag deployment and informed Honda of its findings.

In early 2026, the automaker continued its investigation and, in early April, decided that the defect was related to motor vehicle safety and required a recall. Honda says it is aware of 130 warranty claims related to the issue, with 25 reported injuries.

Honda will instruct owners to take their vehicle to an authorized dealer, where a service technician will reprogram the SRS ECU with the correct deployment parameters or replace it with one that has the proper software. 

Motor1’s Take: It’s hard to understand how airbags that unexpectedly deploy in absence of a collision aren’t considered a safety concern, but we are glad Honda is finally fixing the issue. American is covered in low-quality roads, and the last thing any owner should have to deal with is airbags that are too sensitive.