Brake Servo CONTROL UNIT failure - happened to your car?

[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 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[CptNash]

Hi Stella,

 

I have a 2020 Honda E, which has just been in to Newton's Croydon today; after my dash lit up like a Christmas tree telling me all the things were faulty starting with brakes. Then parking brake, collision detection, adaptive cruise control, one pedal driving, lane departure mitigation and low speed collision mitigation. After being away for a couple of weeks and going to take the car in for the diag, I found the brakes not to be functioning well... very soft and then a jump where I could then hear the friction brakes being applied, although it was as though it was an old cable style system with no assistance. I'm pleased I was only doing low speeds too!

 

After going in for a diagnostic today - I was told the control unit is faulty. The cost to replace it is £3048!

 

I was advised to speak to Honda direct, as they have seen a lot of these units on different vehicles failing. I think we need to get Honda to admit they have a faulty component and have them in for recall, as you said.

 

Sorry I don't have anything more useful to offer at this point.

 

Nash