Experiencing a sudden loss of drive power while on the road is a serious and dangerous situation that can dramatically raise the likelihood of a collision. Unfortunately, this potential hazard now concerns more than 250,000 Honda owners in the United States. According to information released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), approximately 256,603 units of the Accord Hybrid, spanning the 2023 through 2025 model years, are at risk of unexpectedly losing propulsion due to a software malfunction. The issue stems from a defect that can cause the central processing unit of the Integrated Control Module (ICM) to reset while the vehicle is in motion.
This scenario is far from ideal, and Honda reportedly learned of the problem back in March 2024. After identifying early signs of the anomaly, the company launched an internal investigation to pinpoint the root cause. Over the following months, engineers examined the fault in detail and eventually discovered that it originated during the creation of the software responsible for monitoring irregularities within the ICM’s CPU. According to Honda, the supplier responsible for the software did not have a complete understanding of the component’s technical requirements. Due to this misunderstanding, the resulting software mistakenly interpreted certain internal communication interruptions as CPU malfunctions.
Complicating matters even further, Honda noted that additional ICM-controlled features were added during development. These new functions increased the overall electrical load placed on the system and contributed to a rise in electrical noise. This unintended electrical interference created the perfect conditions for communication errors to occur more frequently. As a result, the software occasionally identified these communication issues as abnormal CPU behavior, triggering unintended CPU resets. These resets, in turn, could cause the vehicle to lose drive power without warning.
Honda estimates that only a small fraction—about 0.3%—of the recalled vehicles are likely affected by the defect. However, despite this low percentage, the company has already received 832 warranty claims associated with the problem. This figure is notable because 0.3% of 256,603 vehicles comes out to roughly 770 units, meaning the number of claims already exceeds the expected number of impacted cars, raising questions about the accuracy of the current estimate. Fortunately, despite the seriousness of the issue, Honda has confirmed that no injuries or crashes have been linked to the malfunction at this time.
To fix the problem, affected owners will need to schedule an appointment with their local Honda dealership. Technicians will correct the issue by reprogramming the ICM CPU software with an updated version designed to properly distinguish between communication glitches and true CPU abnormalities. Honda plans to send official notifications to owners early next year, informing them of the recall and instructing them on the next steps to ensure their vehicles are safely repaired.