Need_to-know

I own a Honda Jazz Crosstar EX - 2020, 28k. I purchased the car from Nortonway Honda (Chiswick). It was one of their sales demo cars with 6k mileage. I paid cash. On 30/01/2023 the chip that controls the braking system failed. This was diagnosed by my local Honda garage (Newton). Newton also advised they had seen the exact fault on another vehicle just three weeks earlier. They quoted £2064 for parts and labour and advised a likely wait of one month (or longer) for the component to arrive from Japan. I am not prepared to pay for this repair. The chip IMO should not fail so early and there must be a fault in that components manufacturing or design. The Crosstar range was redesigned and re-released in 2022. My car is one of the original versions form 2020. Newton Honda did recommend I contact Honda UK for a courtesy car, which I received at the end of February. Whilst on the phone to Honda UK, the CSA did casually confirm they knew of this fault. I have sought legal advice. I have issued a claim for repair (without charge) to Norton Honda from whom I purchased the car. They advised I can claim repair or replacement within six years of purchase date PROVIDED I can prove the car was faulty when I purchased it. The Motoring Ombudsman recommends two companies for forensic investigation of failed components and assistance with claiming compensation. I paid £300 to ACE-UK-org.uk for onsite testing of the failure and to produce a report. Unfortunately the report contained NO DATA and I am now engaged in trying to secure a refund from ACE 😕. The failure of the CONTROL UNIT that controls the brake servo system is a critical failure. My car is undrivable. I was extremely fortunate that the failure occurred just as I was pulling out from my residential parking space. God forbid had it occurred whilst on the motorway or a busy high street. Such a critical failure should be resolved via Honda. Recall. I suspect Honda are not offering a recall to avoid negative publicity Today I mailed DVSA (Driving Vehicle Standards Agency) to ask for advice and to ask if it’s possible to force Honda to issue a recall for the failed brake chip. If you have experienced this fault too or know of it, please could you provide details - even if sparse. I am grateful for any further advise or support offered. TIA Stella

Yes, I have this problem. I have a 2020 Honda Jazz Crosstar EX - 28k miles. 30th January 2024, my display issued numerous emergency brake failure messages. I had just pulled out of my parking space. Brakes very unresponsive and heavy. Local Honda garage advised my to get car to them via rescue service (The AA). I carefully drove my car to my local Honda garage in S.London., 3 miles, with AA van following - no messages from vehicle and seemed ok. Honda garage analysis revealed Brake Servo CONTROL UNIT failure. That is component failure of the chip that controls the braking system. Garage quoted £2064 to repair plus at least 1 month wait for the component to arrive from Japan. My car was purchased (one year old, 6k miles) from Honda Chiswick. It was one of their sales demo vehicles. It has been fully serviced by my local Honda garage (not Chiswick). The 3 yr warranty ended summer 2023. My car is undrivable. I am not prepared to pay £2064 to resolve a major component failure on a car that is 3.5 years old and has 28k mileage. My local Honda garage advised my to contact Honda UK and request a courtesy vehicle. Honda UK did quickly arrange a car for me to drive. I have sought legal advice. I was told my contract is with Honda Chiswick - where I purchased the car. Chiswick advised I have six years (from date of purchase) to return my car PROVIDED I can prove the vehicle was faulty when I purchased it. This aspect has proved difficult so far. The Motoring Ombudsman site recommends two companies for forensic testing of component failure. I engaged one of them ACE (www.ace-org.uk) to perform on-site forensic tests and report the failed unit. I was astonished to receive a report with no data, except the basic information I emailed to ACE myself - reg number, milage, date of purchase - that’s it!!!!! I am now engaged in ‘breach of contract’ argument with ACE and am attempting refund of the £300 I paid for their (non-existent) service. And I still have to locate an expert to examine the failed chip in the hope that faulty design/ faulty manufacturing caused this chip that controls the brake system to fail after 3 years/ 28k miles. IMO this shouldn’t have happen but IRL things do go wrong. This is a major safety concern. It should be a recall. Obviously Honda does not want the negative exposure a recall would bring. Instead I am stressed out, jumping through hoops trying to get ‘proof’ that the car was faulty when I purchased it. Instead of Honda taking responsibility for what is OBVIOUSLY a fault and replacing and repairing this failed component, free of charge ASAP. Well my response is I’m fed up of this lack of responsibility and I will publicise this issue as much I possibly can. Let’s see how Honda UK and Honda, Chiswick enjoy that. I’’m a newbie on this site and will introduce myself by copying this post. Hopefully other similarly impacted Honda owners will comment and help prove their IS a batch of faulty (and potentially very dangerous) components in Honda cars. I’d be grateful for any advice, supporting information.