FL5 recall (2022-2025 Civic Steering Gearbox Assembly)

[honman]

@Revenge134 interesting, I'd usually expect dealers to require that one of their own certified techs do the work. It sounds like you know what you're doing, but I'd advise most people to have a dealer do it for liability reasons. Plus it's free.

I also didn’t have any rub marks on control arm otherwise I would have just taken it in cause it would then need new tires etc.

afaik this was only a problem with replacement steering racks that were installed after the stock rack had the sticky steering problem. I don't believe this was ever a problem with the stock rack.

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[UJX]

For those of you that had this recall done, was there a smell afterwards? I just got my recall done today and parked it in the garage. I went back in the garage a few hours later and I smell a strong glue/gas kind of smell. I'm assuming it was extra grease or something burning off? I'm looking under the car and don't see anything on the ground so I don't think it's leaking anything.

 

[honman]

did you notice the smell immediately after you parked in the garage, or only after you went back in a few hours later? when they put the endcap back on after injecting the grease they put some hondabond sealant on the threads, which is kinda like silicone gasket maker. I've never used the stuff personally, but from what I've heard it has a pretty strong and pungent chemical-y smell to it while it cures. If I were to guess the tech who did the recall put a little too much on or accidentally got some of it outside the endcap. once you closed your garage the fumes started building up while it cured, so after a few hours it was probably pretty strong. air out your garage, then see if it still smells in 24 hours or so. it should be cured by then.

if you really want to, you can pull your right front wheel off, then the engine undercover, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right then check for anything suspicious around the area where the recall was done, and/or check if the smell is stronger there.

 

[UJX]

did you notice the smell immediately after you parked in the garage, or only after you went back in a few hours later? when they put the endcap back on after injecting the grease they put some hondabond sealant on the threads, which is kinda like silicone gasket maker. I've never used the stuff personally, but from what I've heard it has a pretty strong and pungent chemical-y smell to it while it cures. If I were to guess the tech who did the recall put a little too much on or accidentally got some of it outside the endcap. once you closed your garage the fumes started building up while it cured, so after a few hours it was probably pretty strong. air out your garage, then see if it still smells in 24 hours or so. it should be cured by then.

if you really want to, you can pull your right front wheel off, then the engine undercover, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right then check for anything suspicious around the area where the recall was done, and/or check if the smell is stronger there.

I didn't notice it until I went back into the garage an hour or two after I got home. I put my nose near the wheel well and it was definitely coming from under the engine which makes sense.

I'm probably just being paranoid for no reason and it's what you said. I watched the procedure on youtube and I don't know how you could really mess it up.

 

[honman]

I didn't notice it until I went back into the garage an hour or two after I got home. I put my nose near the wheel well and it was definitely coming from under the engine which makes sense.

I'm probably just being paranoid for no reason and it's what you said. I watched the procedure on youtube and I don't know how you could really mess it up.

OK, yeah, just sounds like the hondabond curing to me. If something was burning off you'd have smelled it immediately. Those silicone-based sealants can let off some really awful smells as they cure, especially right after they're applied. If you picked up your car right after the job was finished it didn't really have the chance to start curing like it would have had it been sitting on the lot for a few hours. In any case, it should fully cure within 24 hours. Maybe a bit longer if you're in a colder region, but even then the smell definitely won't be as strong as it was initially.

 

[Potato fl5]

would this recall cause the bolts i circled to be about to literally fall out and in the second picture it seems like a bolt is missing on the right.

 

[FL5alive]

would this recall cause the bolts i circled to be about to literally fall out and in the second picture it seems like a bolt is missing on the right.

I saw your other thread and this could definitely be the culprit.

 

[Potato fl5]

Also put the picture here. It's easy to miss behind the splash shield

 

[Potato fl5]

So i argued with the service advisor and he showed me the entire repair process I guess they don't drop the subframe. But he was like maybe it came loose from factory will look at it right now tho for you

 

[honman]

So i argued with the service advisor and he showed me the entire repair process I guess they don't drop the subframe. But he was like maybe it came loose from factory will look at it right now tho for you

When did you have the recall performed? They don't drop the subframe anymore (see my posts earlier in this thread). Did you talk to a service advisor or the service manager? If you didn't talk to the manager, ask to speak with them, then ask to see the job details written by the tech who performed the recall. They should have recorded exactly what they did.

It's possible the tech used the old procedure if they were working off an outdated TSB for whatever reason. Or they started to do it, realized the TSB was updated with a different procedure, went "oh sh*t", rushed to bolt stuff back on, then did it the right way.

I find it unlikely that those bolts were loose from the factory. They would have been torqued to spec during assembly. Plus, the fact that you have multiple loose bolts on the same part sounds to me like a sloppy job done after it left the factory. I would 100% go to the service manager and ask how that could've happened. Specifically mention that you've read the TSBs (I posted them earlier in this thread), know that the recall procedure used to involve dropping the subframe, then express concern that the loose bolts seem to indicate that the old procedure may have been used.

 

[Potato fl5]

When did you have the recall performed? They don't drop the subframe anymore (see my posts earlier in this thread). Did you talk to a service advisor or the service manager? If you didn't talk to the manager, ask to speak with them, then ask to see the job details written by the tech who performed the recall. They should have recorded exactly what they did.

It's possible the tech used the old procedure if they were working off an outdated TSB for whatever reason. Or they started to do it, realized the TSB was updated with a different procedure, went "oh sh*t", rushed to bolt stuff back on, then did it the right way.

I find it unlikely that those bolts were loose from the factory. They would have been torqued to spec during assembly. Plus, the fact that you have multiple loose bolts on the same part sounds to me like a sloppy job done after it left the factory. I would 100% go to the service manager and ask how that could've happened. Specifically mention that you've read the TSBs (I posted them earlier in this thread), know that the recall procedure used to involve dropping the subframe, then express concern that the loose bolts seem to indicate that the old procedure may have been used.

So i asked even said that the procedure has been updated. Theg swear that they never touched the bolt but would re torque all the subframe just in case so same result I guess and he said that the fl5 comes with that bolt out

 

[honman]

So i asked even said that the procedure has been updated. Theg swear that they never touched the bolt but would re torque all the subframe just in case so same result I guess and he said that the fl5 comes with that bolt out

Well at least they'll re-torque everything. I'll see if I can dig through my AllDataDIY database tomorrow and locate the bolts in your pictures. Then I can at least confirm which ones aren't shipped from the factory. Also, keep an eye out for alignment issues if you haven't checked the usual symptoms yet. If the subframe was dropped at some point, it could mess up alignment if it wasn't re-aligned afterwards.

 

[Potato fl5]

Well at least they'll re-torque everything. I'll see if I can dig through my AllDataDIY database tomorrow and locate the bolts in your pictures. Then I can at least confirm which ones aren't shipped from the factory. Also, keep an eye out for alignment issues if you haven't checked the usual symptoms yet. If the subframe was dropped at some point, it could mess up alignment if it wasn't re-aligned afterwards.

I'd really appreciate that. I do rember that did an alignment after maybe I'll take it to a local. Shop tho amd see what's up drivability seems to bee good tho

 

[Navy619]

For those that are paranoid about the dealers touching your car, just get a dash cam installed like I did. I had the worm gear recall done and there was no need to drop the subframe. Actually it didn't even take that long. Just make sure they have the kit available in parts dept before scheduling an appointment. I have yet to notice any difference..

 

[Stanleywinthrop]

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