Honda to recall 489,000 CR-V crossovers over faulty power window master switch

Japanese carmaker Honda Motor Co yesterday said that it is recalling about 489,000 CR-V crossovers in the US, Europe and Africa due to a faulty power window master switch that can potentially cause a fire.

Honda said rain or other liquids could enter through a driver's open window and damage the master power switch on the door, which could lead the  switch to overheat and melt, causing a fire.

Honda said that the recalled vehicles affect the 2002 through 2006 model years and were manufactured at its facility in the UK.

The Japanese automaker will be recalling about 268,000 CR-V sport utility vehicles in the US, 220,000 in Europe and less than 100 in Africa.

Honda, Japan's third-largest automaker said that there have been no injuries or crashes due to the problem, but five fires have been reported - four in the US and one in the UK.

The US safety regulator National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said owners should park their vehicles outside until the problem has been fixed in order to avoid any damage to property from a fire. The NHTSA said that a fire could start even when the ignition is off and the CR-V is parked.

Honda will rectify the problem free of costs by installing a cover plate inside the switch to prevent any liquid from entering.

This recall comes a month after Honda recalled more than 600,000 Accord mid-sized sedans in North America over a power steering fluid leak defect that could cause a fire under the hood.