55,354 units of Honda vehicles assembled in Malaysia in 2018 and 2019 are being recalled to replace a fuel pump. This move follows a global action by Honda in many other countries.
It is understood that the fuel pump in affected vehicles may contain faulty impellers. The fault may, in some cases, cause the fuel pump to get stuck and unable to provide fuel, resulting in the engine not starting or stalling while driving.
According to Honda Malaysia, no injuries or accidents have occurred due to fuel pump issues and the replacement is a precautionary measure. The models affected are shown on the chart below:
In a statement issued today, Honda Malaysia apologises for the inconvenience caused to the affected customers and reassures that all its models produced in 2020 are not affected in this product recall.
Owners of affected vehicles will be informed via notification letters which will include details of the product recall. The company urges owners to contact any Honda authorized dealer to make an appointment upon receipt of notification to replace the fuel pump (subject to parts availability). The replacement of the fuel pump and all related costs will be free of charge.
The recall includes the hybrid models as well (HR-V Hybrid pictured).
As the Honda Toll Free number is undergoing technical maintenance, owners can obtain more information on this product recall by contacting any Honda authorized dealer or log on to www.honda.com.my to check their vehicle status.
In the event that you are not the original owner of the vehicle, your contact details may not be available to Honda Malaysia and you might not receive a notification letter. If you believe your vehicle is also among the affected units, you can contact a Honda authorised dealer for assistance to check on the matter.
Note: For private registration in Peninsular Malaysia, excluding insurance premiums.With 10% Sales Tax excluded, the latest Accord is up to RM8,545 cheaper and the price will last till the end of 2020.
To locate a showroom to view, test-drive or purchase a model, visit www.honda.com.my.
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Seems like with the industry resuming business, the car companies are trying to quickly make up for the lost months and deferred product introductions. After recently starting deliveries of the updated Honda BR-V, Honda Malaysia has now also announced an update for the RS version of the popular HR-V crossover SUV.
Second choice for interior colour
The update is a new interior colour – a classy dark brown leather which customers can choose as an alternative to the existing black leather theme. The dark brown leather materials are fitted to the centre console, front panel, driver and passenger seats (front and rear) as well as door panel lining.
No change in price
The price remains as RM124,800 (without insurance). Colour options are Passion Red Pearl, Modern Steel Metallic and White Orchid Pearl.
Launched in 2015, there are more than 91,000 units of the HR-V on Malaysian roads. Right from the start, it was a hit as it arrived at the right time when the SUV market boom was accelerating. The facelifted HR-V which was introduced in January 2019 has sold more than 19,000 units with the RS variant contributing 21% to the total.
The HR-V RS is powered by a 1.8-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine and uses an Earth Dreams Technology Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT). Functional features include a 7-inch display screen for the infotainment system, paddle shifters and the very useful LaneWatch system which provides a real-time view of the blindspot on the left side of the vehicle.
“The HR-V RS received overwhelming response from the market since we introduced it in early 2019. Then, based on customers’ feedback for an enhanced touch of sophistication, we introduced the stylish black leather interior for the HR-V RS. We are delighted to provide yet another selection of interior styling to suit the differing personalities of our discerning customers – the new classy dark brown leather interior. We are committed to continuously improve our product offerings as we listen to customers’ feedback and market demand,” said Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Toichi Ishiyama.
Carmakers may spend a lot of money on racing activities but in many cases, such activities also support R&D for the company to develop new technologies for future models. Honda has been on such company and even in the 1960s, before it was established as a serious carmaker, it was already in Formula 1, the first Japanese company to do so.
Honda’s founder believed that the experience of working in a racing team was invaluable for the engineers. They had to find solutions to problems very quickly and in the high-pressured environment of motorsports. The benefits were understood, and Honda made sure that it remained active in motorsports, with many technologies flowing to production models.
In the 1960s, Honda was the first Japanese manufacturer to race in F1 and its engineers benefitted from the experience of working in the high-pressured environment.
The latest Jazz is an example of advanced Honda hybrid innovation transferring from the racetrack to the road. Using engineering expertise from its motorsport team, Honda is drawing knowledge from its Formula 1 Hybrid Power Unit (PU) programme to improve the energy efficiency of the brand’s e:HEV hybrid system.
The latest Honda Formula 1 Hybrid Power Unit, named RA620H, uses a highly efficient 1600 cc 6-cylinder internal combustion engine, combined with an Energy Recovery System. The advanced hybrid electrical systems ingeniously recycle energy produced by the brakes and exhaust gases to generate extra boost power for acceleration and to reduce turbo lag.
Last season, Honda’s Hybrid Power Unit helped its partner teams, Aston Martin Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Toro Rosso (now known as Scuderia AlphaTauri), achieve a total of 3 race wins and 6 podium places.
Honda’s partner teams in F1 are Scuderia AlphaTauri (formerly Scuderia Toro Rosso) and Aston Martin Red Bull Racing.
During races, Honda Formula 1 engineers are constantly assessing and changing the ratio of energy recovered and deployed by the hybrid system to deliver optimum performance. The expertise they have developed in running hybrid power units at optimum efficiency and power output inspires Honda’s range of advanced e:HEV powertrains in its passenger cars.
The beneficiary of this technology is the Jazz. Its e:HEV hybrid system recycles energy and harnesses it to charge the battery and support engine output, for strong performance, seamless switching between drive modes and maximum efficiency.
“During a Formula 1 race weekend, teams have to manage very carefully how much fuel they use to comply with the sport’s regulations. In a race, we can divide the total fuel allowance over the number of laps, but there are going to be situations where a team might wish to use more fuel in order to get higher performance and in other parts of the race they will want to save fuel for later, while behind a safety car for example,” explained Yasuaki Asaki, Head of PU Development.
“In a race, the communication between the race engineer and the driver is key to achieving that best balance. However, in our road-going e:HEV hybrids, we apply our expertise to ensure the Powertrain control units deliver the best possible power to efficiency ratio for the driver, in any required driving mode,” he said.
The e:HEV system (shown above) is newly developed for Jazz consists of two compact, powerful electric motors connected to a 1.5-litre DOHC i-VTEC petrol engine; a lithium-ion battery; and an innovative fixed-gear transmission via an intelligent power control unit.
To deliver a rewarding driving experience and exceptional efficiency, the e:HEV hybrid set-up seamlessly selects from three interchangeable drive modes:
EV Drive: the lithium-ion battery supplies power to the electric propulsion motor directly.
Hybrid Drive: the engine supplies power to the electric generator motor, which in turn supplies it to the electric propulsion motor.
Engine Drive: the petrol engine is connected directly to the wheels via a lock-up clutch and drive force is transmitted directly from engine to the wheels.
In most urban driving situations, optimum efficiency is achieved through seamless transitions between EV Drive and Hybrid Drive. At highway speeds, Engine Drive is used, supplemented by an on-demand peak power ‘boost’ from the electric propulsion motor for fast acceleration. In Hybrid Drive, excess power from the petrol engine can also be diverted to recharge the battery via the generator motor. EV Drive is also engaged when the car is decelerating, harvesting energy through regenerative braking to recharge the battery.
Rather than using a conventional transmission, the Jazz is equipped with a newly-developed Electronically Controlled Continuously Variable Transmission (eCVT) with a single fixed-gear ratio to create a direct connection between moving components. This transfers torque with a linear feel during acceleration across all drive modes.
The war against the COVID-19 coronavirus is a global one as 196 out of 197 countries have cases. Besides government efforts, individuals, various types of organisations and companies are also contributing in various ways. Where the auto industry is concerned, R&D capabilities and mass production facilities have been used to make much-needed Personal Protection Equipment.
Some carmakers have also looked at how they can make their vehicles safer for healthcare workers to travel in. Unlike making conventional ambulances which would usually transport patients without infections, the ones used to transport people potentially infected with COVID-19 must be designed to protect the healthcare workers and also the driver and other crew.
In America, Honda has made modifications and installed additional items in 10 units of the Odyssey MPV for use by the City of Detroit. To protect the health of the driver from the potential for droplet infection during transportation, the MPVs have been fitted with a plastic barrier installed behind the front seating area. Modifications have been made to the ventilation system to maintain an air pressure differential between the front and rear seating areas.
Installing the clear polycarbonate barrier to isolate the rear compartment from the front
The MPVs were configured by a team of volunteers at Honda’s R&D centre in the state of Ohio. Senior engineers and fabrication experts quickly conceived and designed a method to modify the Odyssey at the company’s vehicle development centre where it was originally developed. They took less than two weeks from initial concept to completion.
The front occupants are protected from potential infection by the barrier as well as airflow tuned to blow rearwards.
All material fabrication and installation, and adjustments to the software for the Odyssey’s ventilation system, was done entirely in-house. The software controlling the ventilation system was tuned to assure the air pressure to create an environment inside the cabin like the negative pressure rooms in medical and research facilities.
Specifically, the software has been tuned to run the blower motor powering the fans in the front seating area faster than the fans for the rear seating area. The resulting air pressure differential creates a more negative pressure chamber in the rear seating area, with rear compartment air exhausted out the vents in the rear of the vehicle. This would greatly reduce the potential for droplet infection migration during transportation.
Selected authorized Honda dealerships have begun to resume operations from today (April 29) as permission has been granted by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI). All service centres in the country had to be closed earlier under the Movement Control Order (MCO) which came into effect on March 18, 2020.
During the period of closure, only emergency services were permitted to assist owners to move their vehicles which may have been immobilized. However, no repair work or maintenance was allowed, and the vehicles had to remain in the service centre for the duration of the MCO.
“Honda Malaysia is truly inspired by the spirit of Malaysians, especially all the frontliners, to overcome the unprecedented situation. The journey to flatten the curve has been tough and extensive but we are ‘Together As One’, staying home in order to have a better outcome for all. We will comply with the extension of the MCO in support of the efforts taken by the Malaysian government and people amid the current situation,” said Honda Malaysia’s Managing Director & CEO, Toichi Ishiyama.
“At the same time, customers need to have their cars in good, reliable condition and hence, require maintenance service. As we resume our aftersales services, we emphasize the importance of continuing to adhere to the MCO rules, being attentive and to take precautions especially in hygiene through frequent sanitization and disinfection, general cleanliness and social distancing,” he added, giving assurance that the precautionary and control measures will be strictly implemented at the Honda dealerships to provide a safe environment during customer visits.
Procedures at service centres
Upon arrival at the dealership, customers will undergo temperature scanning and hand sanitizers have been prepared for their use while their appointment status is being verified. Individuals recording temperature of 37.5 degrees C. and above or are exhibiting symptoms of fever, cough and shortness of breath will be advised to leave the premises to immediately seek medical attention.
Honda Malaysia has also asked its dealers to enforce stringent measures concerning crowd control and social distancing. The number of customers present at any one time for their vehicle service in the dealership shall be limited at minimum capacity. It is compulsory for customers to make appointments with their nearest dealer (within 10 kms of their home) to smoothen their visit and ensure the availability of a slot for their service before going to the service centre.
To facilitate social distancing, the dealers are commencing a car drop service. This new service allows customers with appointments to just drop off their cars at the dealerships and conduct discussion on their car service updates or enquiries via telephone with the service advisors so as to maintain social distance. This practice will not only help safeguard the well-being of the customers and service advisors, but also provide substantial convenience to Honda owners.
Honda Malaysia is also taking extra precautions to ensure the highest safety and good personal hygiene of service advisors. Temperature checking will be implemented on employees and they are reminded to wash their hands regularly, and practice social distancing by maintaining a distance of 1 metre from one another at all times. Hand sanitizing stations are set up for the convenience of service advisors and customers, and some areas in the dealerships will be restricted or remain closed to ensure customers safety.
The lead-acid batteries in motor vehicles have been around for many decades and because they are made from elements that can be recycled, there is an established ‘business’ in collecting and recycling batteries. Even the guy who collects old newspapers will take them as the lead, plastics and even the sulphuric acid can also be recycled.
Lead-acid batteries are therefore considered as ‘closed-loop’ products which means that when their ‘first life’ is over, they can be recycled into other products. It is estimated that globally, 98% of such batteries are being recycled.
With the advent of hybrid and electric vehicles since the late 1990s, more powerful battery packs have appeared. These are needed to store electricity in large amounts and to power the electric motors. These have not continued with the lead-acid approach which would make the battery packs very heavy as they would have to be very big to store sufficient electricity.
Instead, the battery packs for battery-powered electric and hybrid vehicles use nickel-cadmium (NiCd), nickel–metal hydride (Ni-Mh), and more recently, lithium-ion or lithium-ion polymer. The technology is constantly advancing, and the battery packs are getting more compact while their storage capacity keeps growing, making possible longer travel ranges.
Battery pack used in an Accord Hybrid.
End-of-life disposal
The manufacturers have been mindful of the fact that the battery packs have an end-of-life and unlike lead-acid batteries, their disposal is not so straightforward. Various solutions have been explored to keep them in service and Honda Motor Europe, together with SNAM (Societe Nouvelle d’Affinage des Metaux), is investigating the possibility of using batteries in a ’second life’ for the storage of renewable energy in industrial applications.
SNAM is a battery recycling company and is increasing its role in partnership with the carmaker to advance the sustainable usability of its end-of-life battery packs. The pan-European arrangement will see SNAM collect and recycle batteries from Honda’s increasing number of hybrid and electric vehicles and either potentially prepare them for ‘second-life’ renewable energy storage uses or extract valuable materials for recycling if they are not suitable for that purpose.
End-of-life battery packs can be divided in two types – those that can be reconditioned and continue to function as energy storage units or broken apart and their materials recycled (below).
Honda and SNAM have worked together since 2013 to ensure the traceability of end-of-life batterie packs and dispose of them in accordance with European Union environmental standards. The expansion of this agreement will see SNAM collect lithium-ion and NiMH batteries from Honda’s dealer network and Authorised Treatment Facilities in 22 countries, before analysing how suitable they are for recycling and processing them accordingly.
Second life applications
“As demand for Honda’s expanding range of hybrid and electric cars continues to grow, so does the requirement to manage batteries in the most environmentally-friendly way possible. Recent market developments may allow us to make use of these batteries in a second life application for powering businesses or by using recent improved recycling techniques to recover useful raw materials which can be used as feedstock into the production of new batteries,” said Tom Gardner, Senior Vice-President at Honda Motor Europe.
Safe and low carbon transport is utilised for the collection of used batterie packs. On arrival, SNAM assesses which battery packs are valid for inclusion in a new energy storage device. These are then repurposed and made available by SNAM for domestic and industrial applications.
One application for recycled battery packs.
When battery cells are damaged and unsuitable for ‘second life’ applications, materials such as cobalt and lithium can be extracted using hydrometallurgy techniques involving the use of aqueous chemistry. These can be reused in the production of new batteries, colour pigments or as useful additives for mortar. Other commonly used materials including copper, metal and plastics are recycled and offered to the market for use in the production of a variety of applications.
With activities in the auto industry having come to a standstill and people in many countries having to remain at home, it’s a good time for car enthusiasts to find out more about the history of their favourite companies. For Honda fans, there is ‘Honda Origins’, which retraces the life of company founder Soichiro Honda through an animated series combining Japanese-style manga cartoon drawings, audio and historic photographs.
The audio-visual journey from the beginnings of Honda through to its achievements and legacy is presented over 6 episodes each lasting between 10 and 20 minutes.
The series uses the original manga comic ‘Honda Soichiro Hon Den’, published by Shogakukan Inc., to interweave the founder’s life and unique philosophy on life and business with the evolution of the company from its origins to the successful multinational that it is today.
A story to pass on
The first episode of the series, ‘Bouncing Back’, tells how Soichiro Honda began after the Second World War to found the Honda Technical Research Institute in 1946 in the city of Hamamatsu. His journey towards motorisation started with a generator engine attached to a bicycle. This venture, together with Takeo Fujisawa, his partner, became the Honda Motor Company two years later in 1948.
The other chapters (A Dream is Born; Crisis on the Way to the Isle of Man Declaration; American Advance; Veni, Vidi, Vici: We Hate to Lose) describe key moments of his life and values, and the history of the company, making special reference to Honda’s commitment to motorcycles, cars and racing.
The last chapter in the series (Epilogue) recounts the company’s beginnings as a multinational through its expansion in the USA, and ends shortly afterwards with the joint retirement of the company’s two founders on the same day.
What is ‘success’?
One of the most important values highlighted in the series is perseverance and learning from failure; this is embodied by a quotation from Soichiro Honda that defines the spirit of the company: “’Success’ represents the 1% of your work which results from the 99% that is called ‘failure’”.
General Motors and Honda have agreed to jointly develop two all-new electric vehicles for Honda, based on GM’s highly flexible global EV platform powered by proprietary Ultium batteries. The EVs will be manufactured at GM plants in North America with sales expected to begin in the 2024 model year in North America.
Production of these Honda electric vehicles will combine the development expertise of both companies. The exteriors and interiors of the new EVs will be exclusively designed by Honda, and the platform will be engineered to support Honda’s driving character.
Joint pursuit of electrification
GM and Honda already have an ongoing relationship around electrification, which both companies are pursuing in this decade. This includes work on fuel cells and the Cruise Origin, an electric, self-driving and shared vehicle, which was revealed in San Francisco earlier this year. Honda also joined GM’s battery module development efforts in 2018.
Honda e is a new EV which the company developed primarily for the European market.
“This collaboration will put together the strength of both companies, while combined scale and manufacturing efficiencies will ultimately provide greater value to customers,” said Rick Schostek, Executive Vice-President of American Honda Motor Co. “This expanded partnership will unlock economies of scale to accelerate our electrification roadmap and advance our industry-leading efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
According to Doug Parks, GM Executive Vice-President of Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain, the agreement builds on a proven relationship with Honda, and further validates the technical advancements and capabilities of our Ultium batteries and our all-new EV platform.
“Importantly, it is another step on our journey to an all-electric future and delivering a profitable EV business through increased scale and capacity utilization. We have a terrific history of working closely with Honda, and this new collaboration builds on our relationship and like-minded objectives,” he said.
As part of the agreement to jointly develop electric vehicles, Honda will incorporate GM’s OnStar safety and security services into the two EVs, seamlessly integrating them with HondaLink. Additionally, Honda plans to make GM’s hands-free advanced driver-assist technology available.
After 3 years in the Malaysian market, the Honda BR-V for 2020 gets a facelift to freshen its appearance with additional features for more convenience. Prices have not been announced but bookings for the model are now accepted at 100 Honda dealerships nationwide with deliveries to customers expected to begin before the end of this month.
Over 36,000 units have been sold nationwide which translated into a 45% market share in 2019, which helped the BR-V maintain its position as the leader in its non-national segment.
The BR-V was specially developed for ASEAN markets and had its world premiere in Indonesia.
Honda Malaysia Managing Director & CEO, Toichi Ishiyama, said: “The BR-V was developed exclusively by Honda R&D Asia Pacific Co., Ltd. (HRAP) for the ASEAN market. It is also the first HRAP model in Malaysia. It caters to the increasing market demand for a 7-seater car that is spacious and versatile at the same time.”
“To continue offering high-quality products and meeting customer expectation, Honda Malaysia conducted market study and collected customer feedback that can help us understand our customers better. Armed with significant insight of the market, the New BR-V received exciting enhancements that are able to further captivate the hearts of Malaysians,” Mr. Ishiyama added.
The changes for 2020
The exterior of the BR-V has an updated front design with a new bumper, grille, lower bumper garnish and new front foglight garnish. There’s also a new rear lower bumper garnish, new shark fin antenna and the 16-inch alloy wheels have a new design as well.
For added convenience, the driver can now enjoy keyless entry and start/stop the engine with the push of a button. These are now standard features for both variants. New leather seat upholstery with a red accent is also introduced for a sporty touch.
No changes to the 1.5-litre SOHC i-VTEC engine are mentioned. This powerplant produces 120 ps/145 Nm, the highest output in its segment, giving the 7-seater BR-V brisk performance.
To locate an authorised Honda showroom in Malaysia, visit www.honda.com.my.
